President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday promised to organise credible elections in 2019, saying he does not fear free and fair elections.
He said that he would ensure that his administration will do everything necessary for the election to be credible as himself is a beneficiary of such election.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said this in Beijing when he had an interactive session with members of the Nigerian community in China.
Buhari, who is in the Asian country to participate in the 7th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation scheduled to hold from September 3 to 4 in Beijing promise a hitch free 2019 elections.
The president equally pledged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents will allow Nigerians eligible to vote in the next general elections to freely elect candidates of their choice.
He said, “I have no fear about free and fair elections because that is what brought me to the present position.
“I know what I went through and very few Nigerians could boast of trying four times (contesting for the Presidency).
“Those interested in participating in the elections must get their PVCs, register in their constituency and elect anybody of their choice across ethnicity and religion.
“The Nigerian police, law enforcement agencies and INEC must respect the right of the people to express their wishes.”
In reference to recent elections in Bauchi, Katsina and Kogi States, the President said the country had made progress relative to elections conducted in the past years.
On security issues, the President reaffirmed that his government has succeeded in curtailing Boko Haram insurgents in the country.
According to him, the terrorist group have no control of any part of the country any longer.
Buhari said the success was as a result of operations of security agencies deployed to counter insurgency in the North-eastern part of the country.
“You will all recall that we contested the last election basically on three issues, which includes security, especially in the North East.
“The Boko Haram used to occupy quite a number of local governments in Borno State but they are not in anyone now.
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