Buhari and King Charles III

The just concluded 2023 elections offered Nigeria some great lessons. President Muhammadu Buhari who is in London for the coronation of Charles III as King of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Commonwealth. said in London on Friday

Buhari said this when he addressed the Commonwealth Leaders Summit as part of the major events leading to the coronation. The theme the future of the Commonwealth as a body and the role of the Youth

He said, “these elections saw a remarkable turnout of voters and proof that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing. Despite some pockets of violence, we have demonstrated that a government can be elected peacefully and fairly.

“Lessons have been learnt and moving forward, we hope to perform even better. Based on this, I am delighted to note that we have taken another step towards deepening our democracy with peaceful, transparent and credible outcomes. Though we are aware that challenges still exist, we are committed to working towards a greater participation of all Nigerians in the democratic process, including those in the diaspora.”

Buhari thanked the Commonwealth for sending a team to witness the conduct of the elections which, according to him, were generally free and fair. He added that the mood of the Nation after the announcement of the winners so far “shows that democracy in Nigeria is maturing and can only get better.”

Buhari particularly praised Nigerian youths for their roles during the elections, attributing a great part of this youth participation in the General Elections to the assent of ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Bill signed into law by his Administration in 2018.

He reveaked that the country would also host the Commonwealth Youth and Students Summit for African Region, with the theme, ‘Making Change Happen’ in Abuja from May 9-11, this year.

The Nigerian leader went further:

“As I come before you today, I am also mindful that this would be my last official engagement with His Majesty The King and some of you as I leave office on 29 May 2023. I, therefore, feel both humble and grateful for this extraordinary and significantly important moment.

“Over the years, I have worked cordially with the leaders of the Commonwealth to achieve the values and principles of the Commonwealth which are shared by its members – the aspirations of the Commonwealth family which include positioning it to be a strong and respected voice in the world and improving the lives of all its citizens are being vigorously pursued,” he said.