President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the UN General Assembly on Wednesday for the last time as Nigeria’s leader.
In his farewell speech, he told the global body that his administration was determined to entrench a process of free, fair, transparent and credible elections through which Nigerians would elect their leaders.
“As president, I have set the goal that one of the enduring legacies I would leave is to entrench a process of free, fair, transparent and credible elections.
“It is through that mechanism that Nigerians will elect leaders of their choice,’’ he said.
He told the 77th UN General Assembly that in 2024, a new face would be addressing the Assembly as Nigeria’s leader.
“We are now preparing for general elections in Nigeria next February. At the 78th UN General Assembly, there will be a new face at this podium speaking for Nigeria.
“Ours is a vast country strengthened by its diversity and its common values of hard work, enduring faith and a sense of community.
“We have invested heavily to strengthen our framework for free and fair elections,’’ he said.
Buhari recalled that the first time he could have addressed the UN General Assembly was in 1984 as military Head of State of Nigeria.
He said it was still a great privilege to personally address the Assembly, 31 years later, in 2015, as the democratically-elected president of Nigeria.
“As I approach the end of my second and final four-year term, I am reminded of how much things have changed in Nigeria; in Africa, and in the world, and yet, how some challenges remain,’’ he stressed.
The 77th UN General Assembly also focused on pressing international issues including the consequences of the war in Ukraine, climate change, malignant use of technology and debt service suspension among other issues. (NAN)
