THE Presidency has welcomed the outcomes of the various elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in different parts of the country over the weekend with different political parties emerging victorious.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu said in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, said the results were a manifestation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to free and fair elections in the country.
The statement said: ‘‘The President is inherently committed to the independence of the electoral commission in his belief that the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government which is expressed through periodic, free and fair elections. He will do nothing to impede INEC.”
Congratulating the winners of the elections in Anambra Central Senatorial District, Ardo Kola State Constituency in Taraba and Gwagwalada Central Constituency in the FCT, on behalf of the President, the spokesman reaffirmed that under President Buhari’s watch, Nigeria will record more free, fair and credible elections.
He reiterated the President’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions in the country, by ensuring that all relevant institutions in the electoral process maintain a high-level of professionalism and independence throughout the electoral process.
While commending INEC, security agencies, civil societies, the media and other stakeholders for their roles in the elections, Malam Garba called on parties not satisfied with the outcome of the polls to heed the President’s counsel by seeking legal redress through constitutional means.