President Goodluck Jonathan has assured Nigerians that the coming 2015 elections will be better conducted,freer and fairer than the 2011 general elections.
President Jonathan gave the assurance while speaking at a reception for the diplomatic corps in Nigeria. The reception held on the lawns of the Presidential Villa, it happens annually during which the president interacts with the diplomatic corps in Nigeria.
Jonathan said “The general elections will take place early next year but the processes that will lead to the elections will commence this year. Parties will select their candidates through primaries this year, campaigns will commence this year, so this year will be full of activities. And I know that there is some apprehension with the elections.
“Let me reassure you that the general election that will come up next year will be better than the elections you witnessed in 2011. As we progress into the year, some of these tensions will come down.
“At the beginning of the electoral processes in most countries, especially developing nations, tensions use to be quite high even in developed countries. That is what we are witnessing now, but all these will come down. We will make sure that we maintain peace and security and that elections are conducted in the manner that will be seen as free and fair by everybody”.
He further said “I am placing before you to communicate to your organisations and countries that we still need your assistance to make sure that the INEC conducts elections that are even better than the ones they did in 2011.”
Jonathan also spoke a little bit on terrorism and the coming National conference, saying it(terrorism) was hampering the growth of national and international development and calling for sustained efforts through dialogue and other means to defeat it. On the National conference, he said it was necessary for Nigerians to come together to dialogue as many still feel the 1999 constitution was was not properly and fully deliberated upon or screened by the people as it was midwifed by the military.