Despite his flagrant violation of the electoral law during the February 25 presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari has claimed in his Sallah message that he did not interfere to favour a candidate in the poll.

“At no point did I interfere with the process in order to give unfair advantage to anyone,” the president claimed in a statement issued on Thursday by his media aide Garba Shehu, even though he violated the electoral law by publicly displaying his ballot paper, revealing whom he voted for in the presidential election.

The president openly displayed his ballot paper, with a thumbprint for the All Progressives Congress (APC) then-presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, which analysts described as a cue to his followers and other APC supporters who to vote for in the presidential race.

“All over the places, I mentioned my favourite candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu, and I believe my constituency will elect him 100 per cent,’’ said Mr Buhari on election day, who cast his vote alongside his wife, Aisha, and other family members at ward ‘A’, Sarkin Yara polling unit 003.

He had also bragged at the polling booth that APC would win “from Daura to Lagos.”

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the outcome of the 2023 elections was in line with his pledge to leave a legacy of free and fair elections in the country in his goodwill Sallah message to Muslims on the occasion of the Eid-el-Fitr celebration to mark the end of the 30-day Ramadan fasting season.

The president noted that the outcome of the 2023 general elections would go down on record as one of his regime’s biggest achievements “in addition to our neutrality in the conduct of the elections.”

He explained that “the outcome of the elections was in line with my pledge to leave a legacy of free and fair elections.”

Mr Buhari stated, “I’m proud that I have created a level playing field for all contestants regardless of party affiliation in order to produce a fair outcome for all.”

He stressed that free and fair elections “are the only principles that give credibility to our democracy because the subversion of the will of the people undermines democracy itself.”

The president believed that the elections were transparent and that even members of his party were “routed and unseated.”

On the Ramadan fast, Mr Buhari congratulated Muslims on completing the demanding spiritual obligation.

While praying to Allah to reward the Muslims for their sacrifices during the fasting season, the president advised, “We shouldn’t forget the important lessons of the Ramadan, which includes improving our bond with the underprivileged and poor members of society.”

(NAN)