President Jonathan this morning addressed the nation in a TV
broadcast where he called on everyone to come out en-mass
to vote for leaders of their choice. What he said below...
Dear Compatriots,
1. As we prepare to go to the polls tomorrow, I have
come before you this morning to express my immense
appreciation for the opportunity you gave me to lead
this great nation of ours in the past four years.
2. I also wish to place on record, once
again, my sincere gratitude for the support you
have given my administration without which the
significant progress we have made in recent
years would not have been possible.
3. In spite of the many challenges we have
had to contend with since 1999, our present
democratic dispensation continues to endure and
grow stronger in keeping with the yearnings and
aspirations of our people.
4. We have all worked very hard to nurture
and strengthen our democratic institutions and
promote the good governance practices which
they were designed to deliver for the better well-
being of our people.
5. I believe I can say without fear of
contradiction that we all clearly cherish the
democracy we now have and will never willingly
give it up for any other form of governance.
6. This much-cherished democracy of ours
is about to be put to the test once again.
7. I urge you all to troop out en-masse to
peacefully perform your civic duty of voting for
leaders of your choice tomorrow.
8. As we do so, let us all - political party
leaders, contestants, party members, party
agents, supporters and ordinary voters alike, be
very conscious of the fact that the eyes of the
entire world are on us.
9. We must therefore comport ourselves in
a manner that will further strengthen our
democracy and consolidate our place in the
comity of truly democratic nations.
10. I made a commitment on assumption of
office to progressively deliver freer, fairer and
more credible elections in our country. In keeping
with that commitment, the Federal Government
has given the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) all necessary support to
ensure that it conducts very successful elections
tomorrow and on April 11.
11. We have all been assured that INEC is
fully ready for the elections. I believe that we can
all trust that they are certainly more ready now
than they may have been before security issues
and other concerns necessitated a re-scheduling
of the dates for the 2015 general elections.
12. As an administration, we welcome the
fact that millions of Nigerians who were yet to
receive their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) as
at February 14, and would therefore have been
unfairly disenfranchised if the polls had gone
ahead on that date, have seized the opportunity
of the re-scheduling to collect their cards and
can now exercise their right to vote tomorrow.
13. We are also glad that our gallant Armed
Forces have successfully stemmed the seizure of
Nigerian territories in the North-East by the
terrorist group, Boko Haram.
14. They have recaptured most of the
communities and territories formerly occupied by
the insurgents, making it possible for thousands
of internally-displaced Nigerians to begin
returning to their homes and communities.
15. I heartily commend the very courageous
men and women of our Armed Forces for the
immense sacrifices which they continue to make
in defending the nation and protecting its
citizens.
16. I also thank all Nigerians for keeping
faith with us over the past six weeks.
17. I call on all political parties and
politicians in the country to allow the free,
unfettered will of our people to be expressed
without any hindrance in the coming elections in
keeping with the hallowed principles and tenets
of democratic governance which we all profess.
18. The will of the people freely expressed
through the ballot is the bedrock of all
democracies and ours cannot be an exception.
19. Let us all therefore be prepared, as true
democrats, to graciously accept the outcome of
the elections as the rightful choice of our people
from whom all political powers in our democracy
must emanate.
20. My administration has done its utmost
best in the past four years to deliver on our
promise to positively transform our country.
21. Tomorrow’s election is another very
important milestone as we continue our march
towards the fulfillment of our God-given potential
for greatness.
22. The election offers us another opportunity
to empower leaders of our choice once again, and
to show the world that genuine democracy is
alive and well in our beloved nation.
23. I will like to restate my belief that no
political ambition can justify violence or the
shedding of the blood of our people.
24. I reaffirm once again, my personal
preparedness to ensure fair play during the
elections and to deploy the resources and
institutions of state only in the manner prescribed
by our laws.
25. Let me warn, however, that as President,
Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am
under oath to protect the lives of all Nigerians
and the security of our country at all times. I will
never abdicate my responsibilities in that regard.
26. Democracy allows dissent. It encourages
differences and even fervent disagreements. But
elections must never be mistaken for war or an
opportunity to set fellow citizens against each
other and tear our beloved nation apart.
27. Those who may harbor any intentions of
testing our will by unleashing violence during the
elections in order to advance their political
ambitions should think again as all necessary
measures have been put in place to ensure that
any persons who breach the peace or cause
public disorder during or after the elections are
speedily apprehended and summarily dealt with
according to our laws.
28. The nation’s security agencies are also
fully prepared and ready to deal decisively with
any group or persons who attempt to disrupt the
peaceful conduct of the elections or cause any
form of public disorder.
29. Our dear country, Nigeria is the largest
democracy amongst black nations of the world.
We are a nation of great accomplishments, with a
proud history of evolving affinities.
30. Let us go out tomorrow to vote peacefully
and set a fitting example of political maturity for
other emerging democracies to follow.
31. I wish you all and our dear nation, very
peaceful and successful elections.
32. May God Almighty continue to bless the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
33. I thank you all.
