President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, charged leaders in West Africa to ensure that elections are conducted in an atmosphere of trust, freedom and transparency in their countries.
Speaking in Monrovia, Liberia, Buhari said it is the only way the sub-region can be insulated from the scourge of unconstitutional take overs that reared its head in three countries recently.
President Buhari made this call in a goodwill message to the Government and people of Liberia as he joined other world leaders on the occasion of the 175th Independence Anniversary of the West African nation.
According to the President in a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, democracy and good governance must take its roots on the African continent to sustain peace, stability and development while leaders must redouble their efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy.
“I would like to use the opportunity of this event to address an important issue affecting three countries in the ECOWAS region; Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
“All the three nations have National Elections in 2023. In Nigeria, we are working towards a free, fair, transparent, credible and acceptable outcome of elections and their results, it is important and necessary for all our countries to key into these resolves as they are indispensable to peace and stability in our countries and sub-region.
“The deepening of democracy and good governance are essential antidotes to check-mate unconstitutional change of governments as we sadly witnessed within the last three years in three countries within our sub-region. We must strengthen our efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy in our sub-region and Africa,” he said.
