The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has called on the United Nations (UN) and other world bodies, to put pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari, to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2023.

Wike, who made the appeal on Tuesday, during a working visit by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, at the Government House in Port Harcourt, said it was imperative for world agencies to continue to advocate for a free, fair and transparent electoral process in Nigeria.

Speaking through his Deputy, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, Wike said Rivers State believes that strengthening democratic institutions in the country was the way to go to elect credible candidates into positions of authourity.

“I will like to beg the United Nations and other world agencies to please, use whatever advocacy level you can use to mount pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria in 2023.

“It is only then that Nigerians can elect men of good character into positions of power. I think this is the time to speak loud and clear, because the stability of a democratic nation all over the world is based on its electoral process. And if the electoral process continues to be insincere and continues to be non-transparent, there cannot be any peace,” he said.

“Like you have rightly said, this country has a good role to play in the West African scene. We are condemning what is happening in Guinea. We spoke against what is happening in Mali, so we have to demonstrate it here.”

Also putting up a defense for future elections in Nigeria to be electronically transmitted, Wike said:

“We cannot allow this country to go into 2023 elections without the electronic voting passed as a Bill; we cannot allow that to happen.

“We believe strongly that we have to support democratic institutions in Nigeria, and demonstrate it here in Rivers State, where we have the opportunity to do it, and also to develop strong institutions in education, health, infrastructure, and in human capital development.”

The Governor expressed regrets that at a time when the country was moving on digital form, she could not pass an electronic transmission of results, which, according to him, would curb insecurity in the country.