2015 Polls Will Meet Global Standard – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday reassured the international community that the 2015 general elections would be conducted in accordance with global best practices

He gave the assurance at separate meetings with the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki Moon, and the British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron, in New York.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, Jonathan met with both leaders before leaving the city to return to Nigeria.

The president had been in New York since Sunday for the 69th session of the UN General Assembly.

The statement quoted the president as reaffirming his personal commitment to ensure the credibility of elections in Nigeria in order to further strengthen the country’s democratic institutions.

Jonathan stated that international observers would be allowed to freely monitor the elections to make them free, fair and credible as his administration had promised.

This, according to the president, is in keeping with his administration’s dedication to openness and transparency in the conduct of public affairs.

He thanked Ki Moon and Cameron for their continuing support for Nigeria’s effort to curb terrorism, insurgency and violent extremism within its borders.

He said that the Federal Government would welcome more assistance from Britain especially in the areas of intelligence sharing, anti-terrorism training and defence logistics.

Both leaders seized the opportunity of the meetings to commend Jonathan’s exemplary leadership on Nigeria’s successful effort to contain Ebola.

The statement said Jonathan later met with the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Margaret Chan.

He expressed Nigeria’s appreciation of the support from WHO on the successful containment of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Affirming that Nigeria was now Ebola-free, Jonathan called for greater international support to ensure that the virus was also eradicated in other affected West African countries.

“Nigeria is free of the virus now but we know that to be permanently free from it, we must remain vigilant.

“We must also work with WHO and the international community to eradicate it completely from our sub-region and forestall possible re-emergence on our shores through migration,’’ the statement quoted him as telling Chan.

Jonathan also assured the WHO D-G that the federal government remained fully committed to eradicating polio from Nigeria in the shortest possible time, despite challenges posed by insurgents and terrorists.

Credit  (NAN)