President Jonathan Seeks Foreign Assistance For 2015 Elections

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged the international community to support the next year general election in Nigeria.

In an annual cocktail organised for members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Villa yesterday, Jonathan promised that the 2015 elections will be freer and fairer than that of 2011.

Stressing that he conducted the 2011 elections while "standing on one leg", he said that now he has the full mandate of the people to do what is right.

He pointed out that the envoys' countries' support was essential for 2015 election as Nigeria cannot do it all alone.

He said: "Let me also thank the dean for commending the elections in 2011, and I know that one thing that must be agitating the minds of diplomats that are here and the heads of your government, is the next general elections in this country."

"The general elections will take place early next year but the processes that will lead to the elections will commence this year.

Parties will select their candidate through primaries this year, campaigns will commence this year, so this year will be full of activities. And I know that there is some apprehension with the elections."

He said: "I don't know the kind of correspondences that you have been despatching to your own countries about that, but let me reassure you that, the election next year will be better than in 2011."

"I took over as the president of this country on the 6th of May 2010, quite close to the 2011 elections, so you can imagine a president that was still standing on one leg. I was not formally elected but I took over from the late president, and then I promised the elections must be free and fair and we kept faith with that our promise."

"Now that I am even more stable than then, because I was formally elected by my people in 2011, I have the full mandate of Nigerians to do what is right. Let me reassure you that the general election that will come up next year will be better than the elections you witnessed in 2011." He added

"As we progress into the year, some of these tensions will come down. At the beginning of the electoral processes in most countries, especially developing nations, tensions use to be quite high even in developed countries. That is what we are witnessing now, but all these will come down."

"We will make sure that we maintain peace and security and that elections are conducted in the manner that will be seen as free and fair by everybody".

"I thank the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps who has already promised that some of the organisations and countries that helped us in the 2011elections will also help us again." He stated

Noting that national and global development is hampered by the menace of terrorism, he called for sustained efforts in 2014 through dialogue and other means to check terrorism.

Stressing that peace was requisite for development. And that terror attacks have claimed many lives and disrupted economic activities world over, he said: "Until terrorism is wiped out, no world leader should sleep"

"In Nigeria, terrorism is a menace that must be defeated. The scourge has become many faceted", he said

He commended the diplomats whose countries have supported Nigeria by going beyond condemnation to support the country with training and equipment against terrorism.