President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said whoever wanted to contest in the 2023 general elections must work hard as he would not condone anyone using the name of his office to canvass for support.
He added that he would not favour any politician to compromise the electoral process in 2023, vowing to give Nigerians a free, fair and credible election.
President Buhari spoke on Tuesday morning when Secretary to Federal Government, Mr. Boss Mustapha, and some of his aides and assistants went to present a birthday card to him to mark his 77th birthday anniversary at the State House in Abuja.
“All those that are going to succeed in the National Assembly and the Presidency, they better work very hard because I will make sure, using the law enforcement agencies, that elections are free and fair; that nobody uses his office or his resources to force himself on his constituency”, Buhari explained.
This was not the first time the President promised violence-free elections.
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, such assurances were made, including the warning that ballot box snatchers would pay with their lives if caught by the military.
During the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states, similar elaborate preparations and assurances were also made by the security agencies.
However, widespread violence, including deaths, was reported during the elections.
For instance, during the Kogi poll, the Peoples Democratic Party Women Leader in Ochadamu, Ofu Local Government Area, Mrs Salome Abuh, was burnt alive by suspected thugs.
There has yet to be diligent prosecution of the perpetrators of the electoral violence during the 2019 general elections and the subsequent polls.
However, on Tuesday, Buhari insisted he would guarantee free, fair and credible polls, using the security agencies to protect the process.
