[wysija_form id=”1″]March 21, 2015 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has assured the international community that Nigeria will not break up after the 2015 general election as anticipated.
Fashola who was receiving British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Martin Uden, expressed confidence that Nigeria will have a successful election. Fashola said those who had predicted that Nigeria would break up as a result of the election would be disappointed.
“We have pulled back so many times in the past and I don’t think this will be a different occasion. You will see more enthusiastic people willing to participate in a democratic process that affects their lives.
“There will be cultural dissimilarities from what you may probably be used to in the United Kingdom; but I am convinced that it will ultimately turn out for good and for those who think we are heading for a break, we have pulled back so many times in the past and I don’t think this will be a different occasion”, he said.
“All will be well and it will be the responsibility of everybody – voters, parties, the regulator, security apparatus, the communities and all of us to ensure that we ultimately deliver a process that will meet the global standard of fairness, transparency and participation.
“I think once that is done, we can now relax and everybody will heave a sigh of relief and then people will hopefully choose the leaders that they want; I don’t expect anything else”, the governor said.
He said he is deeply saddened by the passage of one of the former Deputy High Commissioners, Mr. Peter Carter saying he and members of his cabinet were yet to come to terms with the unexpected passage of the envoy whom he described as a very fine gentleman.
Earlier Uden said the new posting would afford him the opportunity to observe the coming general election and pledged to assist in every way necessary to ensure that the democratic process would be successful and for the people of Nigeria to be able to elect leaders of their choice in a free and fair election.
