On the Presidential Election of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
(Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

March 2, 1999

Japan welcomes the fact that on February 27 in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a presidential election to shift back to civilian rule has been implemented peacefully and smoothly under international surveillance.
Japan strongly hopes that under the newly elected President Obasanjo, who will be inaugurated on May 29, Nigeria's civilian rule will be firmly established and the political stability and economic development will be promoted in the country, which has the largest population in Africa and has influence over the stability and development of the whole region.
Japan, in light of the significance of the election in terminating the military rule that has prevailed in Nigeria since November 1993, decided to extend financial assistance worth 410,000 dollars to the United Nations Trust Fund for Electional Observation and, at the same time, dispatched six election observers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese diplomatic missions overseas as personnel contribution.

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