No More Shift in Elections, Adefuye Tells US Chamber of Commerce
Nduka Nwosu Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Professor Ade Adefuye, has told the US Chamber of Commerce that the Nigerian elections rescheduled for March 28 and April 11 will take place as planned.
According to Adefuye who made his speech available to THISDAY, President Goodluck Jonathan has made it clear that Nigeria intends to conduct a free, fair and violence-free election.
“I want to assure the business community that they have nothing to worry about the future of Nigeria.
“Our people are determined to conduct election that will be acceptable internally and internationally from which a government that truly represents the aspiration of our people will emerge, Adefuye stressed.
The ambassador told the mixed audience representing American corporations such as Coca Cola, Walmart, Caterpillar, Chevron, Albright Stonebridge group, John Deere and Motorola that Nigeria intends to conduct a credible election not only because the country realises its importance for the future of democracy in Africa, “but because it is in its interest to do so. We have had a fairly long experience on military rule and we have experienced democracy since 1999.”
Accordingly, the ambassador said the country was not ready to throw away what it sees as the dividends of democracy because: “We do realise and appreciate the intricate nexus between democracy and development.
“Our people also realise that a government based on the outcome of a credible election will command international respectability, thus making it possible for Nigeria to continue its leadership role in Africa and a powerful voice in the comity of nations.”
The successful outcome of the elections, he said, will be based on an electoral commission that is independent in all ramifications, adding that: “It is that commission that organises elections and takes all election-related decisions, including its timing.
“The factors that compelled the decision to postpone the election from February 14 to March 28 were justified by the research conducted by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) which was sponsored by US State Department.”
He also reminded the Chamber of Commerce that Nigeria has a highly respected judiciary which is expecting electoral petitions after the elections; although the number of electoral petitions had diminished since the current Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) took office.
“But the pronouncement of the Nigerian judiciary is sufficiently respected such that all its judgments, including those on electoral petitions are respected and implemented with dispatch,” he said.
Adefuye added that some candidates and parties might complain after the announcement of the election results, but the complaints would be resolved by the court of law. “Nigerians have fought a civil war and have realised the need to live together as a corporate and united entity.
“We will have our disagreements and controversies, but they will all be resolved within the context of one united indivisible country.
“The lessons of the civil war are still very much with us. No part of the country is thinking of seceding or breaking away.
“We have realised that our size, population, strength, and resources which providence endowed us are assets that we will hold firmly. Whatever troubles emerge from the elections, Nigeria will remain one single corporate united entity,” the ambassador promised.