2015 elections will follow global practices -Jonathan

 
President Goodluck Jonathan late on Wednesday assured the international community that the 2015 general elections in Nigeria will be conducted in accordance with global best practices.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President gave the assurance at separate meetings with the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon and the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, before leaving New York where he participated in the just-concluded United  Nations General Assembly.
The assurance is coming at a time there are fears in the country over possible postponement of the elections as a result of the insurgency being witnessed in the North East.
Jonathan however said the polls would be conducted in a manner that will further strengthen the country’s democratic institutions.
He said he was personally committed to making elections in Nigeria progressively better, freer and more credible.

“The President said in keeping with his administration’s dedication to openness and transparency in the conduct of public affairs, international observers will be allowed to freely monitor the 2015 elections and affirm that the elections are as free, fair and credible as his administration has promised,” the statement added.
Jonathan was reported to have thanked Mr. Ban Ki Moon and Cameron for their continuing support for Nigeria’s effort to curb terrorism, insurgency and violent extremism within its borders.
He added that the Federal Government will welcome more assistance from Britain, especially in the areas of intelligence sharing, anti-terrorism training and defence logistics.
At a later meeting with the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Margaret Chan, the President also expressed Nigeria’s appreciation of the support it received from the organisation for the successful containment of the Ebola Virus Disease.
Affirming that Nigeria was now Ebola-free, Jonathan called for greater international support to ensure that the virus is also eradicated in other West Africa countries that it continues to ravage.
“Nigeria is free of the virus now but we know that to be permanently free from it, we must remain  vigilant and work with WHO and the international community to eradicate it completely from our sub-region and forestall the possibility of its re-emergence on our shores through migration,” the President was quoted as telling Chan.
He also assured her that in spite of hindrances by insurgents, terrorists and violent extremists, the  Federal Government remained fully committed to eradicating polio from Nigeria in the shortest possible time.
Dr. Chan and Mr. Ban Ki Moon seized the opportunity of their meeting with Jonathan to commend his leadership on Nigeria’s successful effort to stop the spreading of the Ebola Virus.