Credible election necessary for stability in Africa, says Buhari

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Abuja said credible elections are panacea to strengthening democratic process and attaining stability by African countries.

He said that credible elections in the West African sub-region are not only good for democracy and periodic elections, but it is also good for overall sub-regional stability.

Buhari as well gave the assurance that his administration will continue to give bilateral electoral assistance to countries in the sub-region based on needs.

The President made the commitment while formally declaring open a three- day symposium/biennial general assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) in Abuja.

He stated further that Nigeria within the limits of available resources, has responded by providing material and technical support to ECONEC.

Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said Nigeria will continue to support democratic consolidation in the sub-region.

According to him, Nigeria will not tolerate the failure of the political process to destabilise African countries or to warrant regional military intervention.

Buhari was emphatic on the need to ensure that not only the youth but other categories of citizens, such as persons living with disabilities and those internally displaced for a variety of reasons, are integrated into the electoral process in Nigeria in particular and other countries in our sub-region in general.

He said: “We should continue to ensure that not only the youth but other categories of citizens such as persons living with disabilities and those internally displaced for a variety of reasons are integrated into the electoral process in Nigeria in particular and other countries in our sub-region in general.

“In doing so, we will continue to support democratic consolidation in the sub-region. One way of doing so is for the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) to take the lead through peer support. I have followed with keen interest, the efforts of ECONEC in this regard.

“In the last two years, ECONEC, under the leadership of the Nigerian Electoral Body Chairman, has been a strong advocate for Nigeria’s bilateral electoral assistance to countries in the sub-region based on need.

“Within the limits of available resources, Nigeria has responded by providing material and technical support to ECONET.

“The more recent examples include logistics support to Sierra Leone, deployment of experts from INEC on the request of ECOWAS and the United Nations to assist in cleaning up the voters’ register in Liberia ahead of the presidential run-off election in 2017 and the provision of voter registration equipment to Guinea Bissau which facilitated the conduct of parliamentary election in March this year.

“I want to assure you of Nigeria’s continued assistance because credible elections in our sub-region are not only good for democracy and periodic elections, they are also good for overall sub-regional stability.

“We cannot allow the failure of the political process to destabilize our countries to the extent that regional military intervention becomes inevitable as is unfortunately still the case in the sub-region.

“With the successful conduct of parliamentary elections in Guinea Bissau in March this year, the next big step is the presidential election. I urge ECONEC to continue to work with ECOWAS by engaging with all stakeholders in the country for a successful Presidential election scheduled for 24th November, 2019 that will restore stability and eventually facilitate the withdrawal of troops”.

Also speaking, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, said priority should be accorded special segments of voters such as women, youth and persons living with disability.

Lawan promised that the ninth National Assembly, especially the Senate will provide legislative framework to enhance popular participation of these special groups.

He said: “This ninth National Assembly and most especially, the Senate will work with all stakeholders to promote efforts at providing women, youth, PWDs, IDPs and other marginalised groups with full, equal and effective participation at all levels of decision making in public life.

“Doing so is in our best interest as politicians as we are the major beneficiaries of their votes.”

The Senate President noted that of the nearly 400 million persons in the ECOWAS region, about half are women and that with the median age in the region being 18 years; the demography indicates a youth bulge, whereby the majority of the population is youths.

ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), the umbrella organisation of electoral management bodies in West Africa began its 6th biennial general assembly in Abuja, on Monday.