“This is the first election that is going to come after that visit and I think again the reputation of this country, the pride of this country, is at stake because our President has come out openly to say there will be free and fair elections which the world wants to see. For that reason, this election is very important," Saraki stated.
Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s Senate President and a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said the Osun governorship election would show if President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to his promise of free and fair elections.
Saraki statd this in his address while accepting the position of Chairman of the PDP Osun Governorship Election Campaign Council.
Speaking at the Legacy House, Abuja on Monday, Saraki, who heads the 85-man committee, restated the importance of the September 22 election, noting that it would be the first since the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May.
President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly stated his committment to free and fair elections. He said this to Theresa May, when she visited the country. He also stated same during a meeting with the Nigerian community in China.
As a follow-up to that statement, Saraki called on the President to keep his promise of ensuring credible elections, because “the world wants to see that there would be free and fair elections in this country”.
"It is indeed a special privilege to have this opportunity of serving as the chairman of the campaign committee for the Osun election. On behalf of myself and every member of the committee, I thank the chairman for the vote of confidence," he said.
"I believe I speak for every member of this campaign committee that we shall do our very best to leave no stone unturned to ensure that we work to ensure that the Osun gubernatorial election would result in victory for our party, the PDP, and its flag-bearer and next Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
“Osun State again gives us the opportunity again of an election before the general election. And it is also coming immediately after the visit of two world leaders to the country from where they extracted the commitment of Mr President that he will ensure that there will be free and fair elections in this country.
“This is the first election that is going to come after that visit and I think again the reputation of this country, the pride of this country, is at stake because our President has come out openly to say there will be free and fair elections, which the world wants to see. For that reason, this election is very important.”