Nigerians Assured of a Peaceful Democratic Transition

President Olusegun Obasanjo has assured Nigerians and the international community of a peaceful democratic transition next year.

He gave the assurance at two different fora this week in Abuja.

In his address at the May Day rally at Eagle Square the President promised a level-playing field for all parties in the area of coverage by public owned media institutions giving an example of his insistence that the organizers of his recent declaration ceremony pay for air slots on these media.

President Obasanjo reiterated the same pledge when he received a delegation of the African-American Friendship Association who paid him a courtest visit. The President said his campaign organization will not spend any money to induce Nigerians to vote for his re-election assuring that there are enough concrete achievements on the ground to convince the electorates. He solicited the assistance of the Association for his administration's plan to establish 8810 primary healthcare centers in the country out of which about 3000 are currently operational.

The African-American Friendship Association through its chairman Dr. Ekeke thanked the President for granting duty exemption for the equipment imported to establish their medical facility in the country.

F.K. Martins
Information Attaché
Embassy of Nigeria
Washington, D.C.
April 25, 2002