President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja assured the United
Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Theresa May of his commitment to conducting
free, fair and credible elections in 2019.
He made the remark during a bilateral meeting with the visiting Prime
Minister at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media
and publicity, Femi Adesina, welcomed UK’s support at strengthening
democratic institutions in the country.
He said ‘‘I assure you that I’m all out for free, fair and credible
elections. I’m very pleased that my party is doing very well. The High
Commissioner will brief you more. The recent successes in polls in
Katsina, Bauchi, and Kogi have boosted our morale greatly.
‘‘Nigeria has accepted multiparty democracy and that is putting
politicians on their toes, forcing them to work harder,’’ he said.
On the anti-corruption campaign, the President applauded the British
support to the country, noting that the success of the fight was very
important to ordinary people in the country.
He went on “We had great opportunities and resources between 1999 and
2014, due to high oil prices. But when we came in 2015, oil prices plunged
to as low as 37 dollars per barrel.
‘‘What we have been doing since 2015 is to focus on infrastructure
development, despite low earnings. Work is ongoing in roads, rail, power,
and many others.”
On Brexit, President Buhari noted that it provides an opportunity to
strengthen the historic ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
‘‘We are nervously watching the development about Brexit because we know
that the relationship had been on for a long time. I assure you that I am
prepared to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.’’
The President also thanked the UK government for the support on security
and the fight against insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, and
the improved trade relations between both countries.
‘‘I am very grateful to the British government under you leadership for
the help in security, particularly your training team that is in our
institution in Kaduna,’’ he said.
Speaking earlier before the bilateral meeting, the Nigerian leader
underscored the need for UK support on reviving of Lake Chad, which is a
means of livelihood for millions of people.
The President told the visiting Prime Minister that Europe and China were
already conducting an in-depth study on recharging the Lake through
inter-basin transfer from the Central African Republic.
In her remarks, Prime Minister Theresa May, who welcomed the assurance by
the Nigerian government on credible elections in 2019, said she was
pleased to be in Abuja to continue the ‘‘excellent discussions’’ she
started with President Buhari in London in April, this year, particularly
on security, trade, asset recovery and the fight against corruption.
‘‘Security and defence cooperation are very important steps to address
Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa,’’ May said.
On asset recovery, the Prime Minister told President Buhari: ‘‘We do not
want to hold anything that belongs to Nigeria people, but we follow the
judicial process, which can be slow.’’
The Prime Minister appealed to President Buhari to use his position as
ECOWAS Chair to keep the issue of human trafficking on the front burner in
the sub-region.
President Buhari and Prime Minister May witnessed the signing of two
agreements: Security and Defence Partnership and Economic Development
Forum Agreement.