Nigeria pledges support to Zimbabwe for transparent and credible polls
By Correspondent Chinyere Ogbonna – Nigeria has pledged to support all efforts by Zimbabawe to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible polls.
President Jonathan and Prime Minister Tsvangirai
President Goodluck Jonathan made the pledge when he received Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai in Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital.
President Jonathan told Prime Minister Tsvangirai that “all African countries have a responsibility to ensure that Zimbabwe does not go back to the crisis of the past with the consequent loss of lives”, adding that Nigeria would support the SADC, which is the regional grouping for Southern Africa, in all efforts for successful polls in Zimbabwe.
He said Africans must show they can conduct peaceful, transparent and credible elections that create the stable socio-political and economic environment required to encourage investments for economic development, adding that “The will of the people
must be respected”
Dr. Jonathan said lessons learnt from Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire, among others, should be utilized in Zimbabwe and other African nations, to avoid any crisis arising from elections.
President Jonathan thanked the Zimbabwean Prime Minister for coming personally and for the extensive briefing on the situation in his country as preparations were made for
next year’s election in Zimbabwe
Addressing state house correspondents, Mr. Tsvangirai wants “Nigeria and the African Union to take active roles in the process”.
He added that this would create a peaceful atmosphere needed for the successful conduct of the polls in Zimbabwe.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai thanked President Jonathan for Nigeria’s support and gave an insight into other activities of the Zimbabwean government.
