ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians resident abroad voting in the 2019 general elections.
He also said his government would be merciless and relentless in its anti-corruption war.
Buhari stated these in Malabo, the capital city of Equatorial Guinea, during a meeting with the Nigerian community in the country, where he was on a state visit.
Responding to a request of Nigerians to be given a voting right abroad during national elections in Nigeria, President Buhari, who sympathized with them, said: “I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders.”
He noted that some African countries had kick-started the exercise, saying he would ensure Nigerians were also given their right to vote in national elections.
On his anti-corruption war, the President said there was no going back in pursuing all the elite who had conspired to run the nation aground.
He said: “We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down.”
Rules out new national airline
On the request that a national airline be established in the absence of a direct flight from Nigeria to Equatorial Guinea, the President ruled out the possibility, saying his priority now was to achieve the reduction of poverty in the land.
He said the priority of his government included developing the infrastructure need of the country to boost production in all sectors of the economy and create more jobs for young Nigerians, as well as other actions that would directly improve the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.
