Buhari, who hosted a delegation from Taraba State, also said by the end of his tenure in 2019, Nigerians would be confident of a society where elections would be free, fair and credible. Also, to underscore his inclination to the rule of law, the President-elect directed security personnel attached to his convoy to always heed traffic regulations and stop at red lights.
The President-elect also said the advent of the technology of card reader and the will of the Nigerians have redefined the electoral system in Nigerian.
He said: “I think that 2015 will go down in Nigeria political history as a glorious year. Nigerians have deliberately understood what is multi party democracy. But we thank God for technology, PVC and card reader and the insistence of constituencies to make sure they are used.
“However, in two political zones where they were subverted, the people wanted to vote, but they were not allowed to vote and they continued with what they used to do in their party offices or their sitting rooms, where they would write the results, go to radio house and television house and announce the result and say whoever does not accept the result should go to court.
“How many people can go to court when they are struggling to get the next day’s meal? Where will they get the millions to give to those Senior Advocates of Nigeria. I was able to do it because of the goodwill of Nigeria which again demonstrated itself this year.
“People agreed that I am not a very rich man, but I was lucky that Nigerians believe in me and they put their strength together, voted and made sure that their votes count. I say thanks to the technology. Please continue to support those among you that you feel will go and work for your state and for the country. I assure you that the government of the APC, when eventually put in place, will be a competent Nigerian government.
“We will never betray the people because they have risked everything. Some even lost their lives in this course to make sure that APC succeed and that we have a leadership in place that they can trust and that is what multi party democracy is all about.”
He further stated: “I will tell you what made me a multi party democrat. In 1991, after coming out of detention, I was sitting at home and the Soviet Union collapsed.
They were the world power fighting the western world. They had more sophisticated weapons, but something happened. “There was confusion and everybody went away. Today, there are 18 countries from the former Soviet Union. That was when I believed that multi party democratic system is a superior form of governance and that is why I joined democracy.
“We have made a big stride this year and I assure you, God willing, if we survive the next four years, Nigerians will be in a position to confidently raise their head and elect their representatives and leaders. “They will choose those they want as their representatives from local government, states and to the centre.
I will fight for free, fair and credible election because that is why I remain in politics. I thank you very much for the sacrifices you have made to make sure we succeeded.”
In regards to ther rule of law, Buhari has directed security personnel attached to his convoy to always heed traffic regulations and stop at red lights at traffic points.
“Without leadership by example, the ordinary citizens would become copycats of the lawlessness of their leaders,” Buhari was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his media office last night.
The President-elect, who currently stops at every traffic light, promised to continue with the tradition as president as a way of demystifying the arrogance in power. Buhari was further quoted as saying that the “arrogance of power, lawlessness and disregard for the rights and convenience of fellow citizens would have no place in his government.”
The statement quoted Buhari as saying that for leaders to inspire respect, they must obey the laws of the country, adding that when leaders treat the country’s laws with contempt, they send the wrong message to the citizens. Buhari lamented a situation where fellow citizens are punished at traffic points and public roads because of the “arrogant lawlessness of the leaders.”
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