President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said ‘Nigeria democracy is maturing,’ citing the peaceful and orderly conduct of 2019 general elections and the resort to the rule of law by aggrieved candidates in settling disputes.
The President who made this assertion in Abuja while declaring open the 25th Nigeria Economic Summit (NES) with the theme: ‘‘Nigeria 2050: Shifting Gears’’ said the last elections demonstrated clearly that the country can now elect leaders in a peaceful and orderly manner.
"The elections have come and gone. Our country, once again, has shown the world that we can choose our leaders in a peaceful and orderly manner. Apart from a few pockets of unrest, majority of voters exercised their civic rights without hindrance.
‘‘Furthermore, we also saw an increase in the number of aggrieved candidates, and supporters, who took their concerns and grievances to the courts as opposed to the streets. This is how it should be.
‘‘Ladies and Gentlemen, what this clearly shows is that our democracy is maturing,’’ he said.
Vanguard reports that the President, who attended the Summit for the first time since he was elected and re-elected president in 2015 and 2019 respectively, also reiterated that poverty reduction and inclusivity was at the heart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) economic policies in the last four years.
‘‘During the elections, almost all candidates proposed their vision for the economy and for the country. Our party, the All Progressive Congress, put before the country policies that focus on delivering prosperity to all Nigerians through enhancing security; eliminating corrupt practices in public service; supporting sectors that will create jobs; and promoting socially-focused interventions to support the poorest and most vulnerable among us.
‘‘These areas are all interconnected and are equally important in creating a prosperous society for all,’’ he added.
