Buhari while addressing the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States reiterated that he would leave a legacy of free and fair elections for the country in the 2023 general elections.
A human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju says President Muhammadu Buhari is not committed to entrenching a process of free, fair, transparent and credible elections as he has repeatedly promised.
Buhari while addressing the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States reiterated that he would leave a legacy of free and fair elections for the country in the 2023 general elections.
His statement came amid growing concerns among Nigerians and civil society organisations (CSOs) about the impartiality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver credible polls next year.
Reacting, Adeyanju said, “President Buhari cannot be talking of a free and fair election while he is the Chairman of a campaign Council of a political party. This is a terrible signal of conflict of interest and bad body language to the Electorates.
“He is the father of the nation and he should stay neutral. I, therefore, call on Mr president to step down his appointment as the Chairman of the campaign Council of the APC to allow for a free and fair election as he has promised Nigerians and the international community will be impressed with such a move.”
The activist added that Nigerians have nothing to celebrate at 62.
“At 62 years, the Naira Note which is our legal tender is one of the most worthless in the world. One dollar is N740 while the Ghanaian currency is 10 cedi to the US dollar. There’s absolutely nothing to celebrate here because the country is not working. Sadly, the country was doing much better under foreign colonial masters,” he said.
“Welcome to Nigeria where citizens who were protesting against police brutality this time last year were treated with more brutality. How can we celebrate when ASUU has been on strike for over seven months?” he asked.