Read President Goodluck Jonathan's
speech while addressing the nation on the
forthcoming 2015 elections which hold tomorrow, March 27, 2015.



Read President Goodluck Jonathan's speech
while addressing the nation on the
forthcoming 2015 elections which hold
tomorrow, March 27, 2015.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This much-cherished democracy of ours is
about to be put to the test once again.
I urge you all to troop out en-masse to
peacefully perform your civic duty of voting
for leaders of your choice tomorrow.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I also thank all Nigerians for keeping faith
with us over the past six weeks.
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.
The will of the people freely expressed
through the ballot is the bedrock of all
democracies and ours cannot be an
exception.
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.
My administration has done its utmost best
in the past four years to deliver on our
promise to positively transform our country.
Tomorrow’s election is another very
important milestone as we continue our
march towards the fulfillment of our God-
given potential for greatness.
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.
I will like to restate my belief that no political
ambition can justify violence or the
shedding of the blood of our people.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let us go out tomorrow to vote peacefully
and set a fitting example of political maturity
for other emerging democracies to follow.
I wish you all and our dear nation, very
peaceful and successful elections.
May God Almighty continue to bless the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I thank you all.