President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday expressed satisfaction with the level of preparations made by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the forthcoming general election.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement, said the president made his feelings known when he met with members of the European Union Observer Mission, who are in Nigeria to observe the forthcoming election.

They met with the president at the State House, Abuja. The President also told the EOM, led by the Chief Observer and member of the European Parliament, Maria Arena that he was optimistic that the electoral body would deliver on its mandate of a credible poll.

Buhari said he had listened earlier in the day, to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, when he briefed the National Council of State.

He said, “I am happy and impressed with the briefing he gave. I hope that the confidence he exuded and the intellect he brought to bear on the report will be justified at the end of the day.”

The president told the EU delegation that Nigeria had grown its electoral system incrementally, getting better year after year.

“Having participated in elections four times in the past, I would say that since 2015, technology has helped the credibility of our elections,” he said.

Buhari said Nigeria with over 250 cultural groups across religions and ethnic groups, with each group canvassing for identity and primacy in the affairs of the nation, “patriotism demands that we identify the nation’s best interest and go with it.”