Buhari Promises Free and Fair Election, Pledges Support to Niger Republic

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged his support to the Republic of Niger for a free and fair election in its Presidential and National Assembly elections which holds later in the month.

The President spoke on Tuesday at State House, Abuja, while receiving in audience former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who heads ECOWAS Election Mission to the West African country.

In a statement made available by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari applauded President Mahmadou Issoufou, for not attempting to tamper with the Constitution of his country, and elongate his stay in power, after serving for the maximum two terms.

“I come from Daura, a few kilometres to the Republic of Niger, so I should know a bit about that country. The President is quite decent, and we are regularly in touch. He is sticking to the maximum term prescribed by the Constitution of his country.

“Also, we share more than 1,400 kilometres of border with that country, which can only be effectively supervised by God. I will speak with the President and offer his country our support. We need to do all we can to help stabilize the Sahel region, which is also in our interest,” President Buhari said.

Former Vice President Sambo congratulated President Buhari on the successful return of abducted schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, and also his 78th birthday, last week.

He pledged that ECOWAS would ensure peaceful and fair elections in the Republic of Niger, despite current political, legal and security issues, adding that meetings were already being held with the relevant stakeholders.