FG assures on credible election in 2015

By The Citizen

The Federal Government has assured development partners that the 2015 general elections will be credible and transparent.

This assurance came as the United States and Britain raised concerns about prospects of logistic problems and the security challenges in parts of the country tarnishing the outcome of the election.

The new US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle and the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Carter, said in Lagos that the development partners and members of the European Union, EU, are keenly watching Nigeria's preparation for the 2015 general elections, which they insist must adhere to the guiding rules of engagement.

But in a telephone interview with the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Ahmed Ali Gulak said 'Nigeria welcomes the concerns and support of its international development partners in the forthcoming election, which is an expression that democracy and development have become inseparable', adding that  'we attach great importance to our democratic process because we have seen the consequences of military dictatorship in our political history. We also respect the genuine concerns of our development partners as we advance in our democratic experience.' .

The US ambassador, who hosted a media round table in Lagos said 'the US is concerned about the security situation in the North East as well as the logistic challenges of conducting elections in Nigeria'.

On his part, British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Carter, told members of Nigeria-Britain Association (NBA) in Lagos that 'the credibility of the election matters to Britain and its partners in EU and US because that will set the tone to attract the required inflow of capital from overseas investors.'