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By Nasir Kura
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday visited Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, and Port Harcourt, Rivers state where he assured that he is all out for free, fair and credible elections starting on Saturday, February 16, 2019.
Speaking at a meeting with traditional rulers at the secretariat complexes of the Councils of Traditional Rulers of the two states, the President said: “I assure you that I’m all out for free, fair and credible elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC knows my stand on this. Nigerians are assured of free and fair elections. Under this leadership, nobody will be allowed to intimidate other citizens. Nobody will be allowed to snatch ballot boxes and run with them. I will make sure that the votes count.”
The president commended the introduction of the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and Card Reader, and called for the nation to embrace the technology because without it, the sixteen years of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rule would not have been brought to an end.
“In 16 years, the PDP thought nobody could remove them from office. The introduction of the PVC and Card Reader made sure that our votes counted in 2015 and the votes of Nigerians will count in 2019,” he said.
On the issue of security, the president reiterated his commitment to ensure the protection of lives, property and the territorial integrity of the nation, and called on traditional rulers to play their part as expected of them.
“The question of security begins with you,” the President told the royal fathers. “Through you, we have been able to persuade the militants to change their attitudes. I congratulate you on the roles you played that stabilised the security and the economy of the country.”
In his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state commended the president for his statesmanship and love for the country.
Also speaking, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state called for a peaceful conduct of the elections.
The chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Majesty Alfred Diette-Spiff, who commended the president for the appointment of citizens of Bayelsa into key positions and the infrastructure projects being put in place, said the state deserved more attention from the federal government.
His counterpart in Rivers state, King Jaja of Opobo Dr Dandeson Douglas Jaja, while calling for free and fair elections, appealed to the president to ensure that security agents remain non-partisan before, during and after the exercise.
