PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, December 6, said his administration would not allow anyone to use money and thugs to intimidate Nigerians at the polls next year.

  This as he said Nigerians would vote for the leader of their choice in the elections, as they are “now wiser” and “know better.”

  According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said this when he hosted the West African Elders Forum Pre-Election Mediation Mission, led by former Sierra Leonean President, Dr. Ernest Koroma, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 The statement, titled, ‘President Buhari to West African Elders: our election will be free, fair, credible.”

  While thanking his guests for their service to the sub-region, the President cited the off-season elections held in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states as pointers to federal government’s readiness to allow people to choose leaders they want.

  He stated: “That right is a guarantee. We are settling down and making progress. People should vote for whoever they want, in whatever party.

  “We shall not allow anyone to use money and thugs to intimidate the people. Nigerians know better now; they are wiser and know that it is better to dialogue than to carry weapons. Elections are even more difficult to rig now.”

  Koroma, who led the team of elders, said they had met with stakeholders across the parties, civil society and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), among others, “and we commend you for making it clear both locally and internationally that the elections would be free and fair.”

  He commended Buhari for not listening to voices that may have tried to convince him to seek a third term in office, against the laws of the country, noting: “Other countries look up to Nigeria for direction. When we had issues in Sierra Leone and Liberia, it was Nigeria that came in to stabilise the system.”

  He urged Buhari to look into other areas of concern as raised by the stakeholders, including security, and issues that may cast doubts on the clarity and credibility of the elections.