President Muhammadu Buhari said that the outcome of the 2023 elections demonstrates the country’s growing democratic strength.
According to Garba Shehu, the President’s media aide, the elections also demonstrated the sophistication of the Nigerian voter when it comes to the choice of leaders.
Shehu stated that the President spoke when he received the newly-installed emir of Dutse, Muhammad Hamim Nuhu Sunusi, at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
Buhari stated that the failure of ten governors to win senate elections meant that there is no longer a sure path to power, noting that the voter is truly the king when it comes to elections.
“It is a testament to the maturity of our democracy and to the amazing sophistication of the voter. What shocked me was that the ordinary citizen who is usually underrated has made the point of his political understanding of things,” the President was quoted as saying.
“Assumption is always that you are a governor for eight years and you go to the senate to crown the career. No one should underrate the Nigerian voter anymore. Politics will be more difficult, henceforth.”
Aside from a few previous off-cycle governorship elections, the 2023 general election was the first in Nigerian democratic history to feature electronic voter registration and results transmission.
Following the election, only 25% of the 469 members of the 9th assembly were elected to the 10th assembly.
Seven governors, including Abia’s Okezie Ikpeazu, Benue’s Samuel Ortom, Enugu’s Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Plateau’s Simon Lalong, Taraba’s Darius Ishaku, Cross River’s Ben Ayade, and Kebbi’s Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, were defeated in their bids to be elected to the National Assembly.
