President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja assured United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Theresa May of his commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2019.
Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in a statement, said Buhari gave the assurance during a bilateral meeting with the visiting Prime Minister at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Buhari welcomed UK’s support toward strengthening democratic institutions in the country.
‘‘I assure you that I’m all out for free, fair and credible elections.
“I’m very pleased that my party is doing very well. The High Commissioner will brief you more.
“The recent successes in polls in Katsina, Bauchi, and Kogi have boosted our morale greatly.
‘‘Nigeria has accepted multiparty democracy and that is putting politicians on their toes, forcing them to work harder.’’
On the anti-corruption campaign, the President applauded Britain’s support to the country, noting that the success of the fight was very important to ordinary people in the country.
He recalled that Nigeria had great opportunities and resources between 1999 and 2014 due to high oil prices.
“But when we came in 2015, oil prices plunged to as low as 37 dollars per barrel.
‘‘What we have been doing since 2015 is to focus on infrastructure development, despite low earnings. Work is ongoing on roads, rail, power, and many others,’’ he said.
On Brexit, Buhari noted that it provided an opportunity to strengthen the historic ties between Nigeria and the UK.
‘‘We are nervously watching the development about Brexit because we know that the relationship had been on for a long time.
“I assure you that I am prepared to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.’’
The president also thanked the UK government for the support on security and the fight against insurgency in the North-East, as well as the improved trade relations between both countries.
‘‘I am very grateful to the British government under you leadership for the help in security, particularly your training team that is in our institution in Kaduna,’’ he said.
Earlier in a remark before the bilateral meeting, Buhari underscored the need for UK support toward reviving Lake Chad, which is a source of livelihood for millions of people.
The president told the visiting prime minister that Europe and China were already conducting an indepth study on recharging the Lake through inter-basin transfer from the Central African Republic.
In her remarks, Prime Minister May said she was pleased to be in Abuja to continue the ‘‘excellent discussions’’ she started with Buhari in London in April, particularly on security, trade, asset recovery and the fight against corruption.
May welcomed the assurance by the Nigerian government on credible elections in 2019.
‘‘Security and defence cooperation are very important steps to address Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa,’’ May said.
On asset recovery, the prime minister said:‘‘We do not want to hold anything that belongs to Nigerian people; but we follow the judicial process which can be slow.’’
She appealed to Buhari to use his position as ECOWAS Chair to keep the issue of human trafficking on the front burner in the sub-region.
Buhari and May witnessed the signing of two agreements an Security and Defence Partnership and Economic Development Forum Agreement.
Speaking briefly before signing the agreements, Buhari said that Nigeria and the United Kingdom would continue to strengthen their cooperation in tackling corruption and reducing poverty.
The Nigerian leader lauded the British government for its support to Nigeria in the fight against terror and pledged Nigeria’s readiness to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
“ I welcome you most sincerely to Nigeria and I am very grateful to the British government under your leadership for the help you are giving us in the area of security.
“The training team that goes to our institutions in Kaduna and observe the operations in the North-East mainly, we thank you very much for that.
“I also thank you very much for the improvement in trade relationship between us since you assumed office.
“We are nervously watching developments about Brexit, because we know that relationship has been on since 1938 and people are here looking at the opportunities in education, businesses and so on.
“I assure you that we will take the necessary steps to improve on the trade relationship between our two countries.’’
Buhari expressed Nigeria’s satisfaction for the removal of barriers by British government for veterans of the World Wars, and numerous assistance to tackle human trafficking as well as climate change.
He also narrated the effects of the drying up of Lake Chad and the need to resuscitate it, to boost farming and fishing activities within the Chad basin.
In her remark, May said following the exit of the UK form the European Union, there would be need to seek more economic ties with Nigeria.
She pledged that the United Kingdom would assist Nigeria in the fight against terrorists as well as human trafficking.
“I’m delighted to be able to be here in Abuja and to continue the very good discussions we had when you were in London in April.
“As you say, we already have very good cooperation between the UK and Nigeria which include education, defence, security and trade relations.
“We are ready to cooperate together on global and regional issues to strengthen that cooperation and partnership, I have with me a business delegation, as we look to enhance our ties in future and explore more trading opportunities.
“We will also be looking to work together to step up efforts against security threats from Boko Haram, human trafficking and the likes.
“And of course also cooperate to fight corruption and lifting people out of poverty.’’
May has since departed Abuja for Kenya via Lagos as she continues her tour of African countries.
