Almami Cyllah, IFES regional director for Africa, comments on the death of Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua on May 5, 2010:
“IFES joins the world in expressing its condolences to the people of Nigeria for the great loss of President Yar’Adua. When Yar’Adua took office, he began to implement the reforms he promised during his campaign, including having a government that is accountable to the people and fighting corruption. We hope the steps President Yar’Adua began to take to turn the country into a true democracy are continued by the leadership.
“Nigeria is an important part of Africa and should be a leader in democratic practices, not just in having elections, but in having democratic administrations in which the will of the people and the integrity of the country is respected. In President Yar’Adua’s memory, the people of Nigeria should follow his example and help their country continue along the democratization path.”