Nigeria has shown commitment to democracy – Obama
The United States president Barack Obama has said the last few days have shown the world the strength of Nigeria’s commitment to democratic principles by coming out en masse and sometimes waiting all day to cast their votes.
In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday, Obama commended President Goodluck Jonathan and the president-elect, Gen, Muhammadu Buhari for their public commitments to non-violence throughout the campaign.
Obama said, ‘’President Jonathan has placed his country’s interests first by conceding the election and congratulating President-elect Buhari on his victory.
“I look forward to working with President Jonathan throughout the remainder of his term, and I thank him for his many years of service and his statesmanlike conduct at this critical juncture.”
He urged the duo to repeat their calls to their supporters to continue to respect the election outcome, focus on unifying the country, and together lead Nigeria through a peaceful transition.
He also praised INEC and its chairman, Attahiru Jega, for what independent international observers have deemed a largely peaceful and orderly vote.
Ban Ki-Moon hails Buhari
- As Britain urged peaceful transition
The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, has congratulated Nigeria’s president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Ban, in a statement issued in New York yesterday, said that he had spoken to President Jonathan and Buhari on the outcome of the polls as declared by the INEC.
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has called on Buhari and Jonathan to ensure transition to a new government remains peaceful.
Buhari will be a good president – IBB
Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has said that the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, would make a good president for Nigeria as he has the necessary experience.
IBB who spoke to journalists in Minna, Niger State, yesterday noted that the acceptance of defeat by President Jonathan was an indication that democracy had triumphed in Nigeria.
He said: “For Muhammadu Buhari, of course, he is not a new person in this country; he was once a military head of state and now a democratically elected president; with the support of Nigerians and his vast experience, I think he can make a good president.”
Asked about the high expectation of the people, he said, “I agree that the general public has a lot of expectations and I think this is as a result that the public has been with a particular government or a particular party for a very long time.
“Naturally, Nigerians are human beings and human beings have the tendency to want a change, so if anybody come up to offer change, you should expect that there will be a lot of expectations from the public.
“The expectations no doubt are high and he has a lot of experience and I know he will give his best, with the good people around him, and they will be able to meet some of the expectations of the people.”
NGF congratulates Buhari, APC
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) led by Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday congratulated the APC and its president-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, and vice president-elect, Prof. Yemi Osibajo, over their electoral victory.
NGF, in a statement by its director-general, Mr Asishana Okauru, said: “We also congratulate the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and all other political parties for the success of their various candidates in the National Assembly elections.”
According to the Forum, “the emergence of Gen. Buhari at this point in Nigeria`s political history is nothing but the will of the people and the voice of God, considering the fact that he had previously contested the seat three times.”
The forum thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for his concession of victory. “This is the mark of true sportsmanship. We call on all other political party leaders to follow suit.”
Jonathan’s acceptance doused tension – Tambuwal
Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, stated yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan’s acceptance of Tuesday’s presidential election result doused tension in the aftermath of the election.
“By this singular act, he (Jonathan) has secured for himself an indelible chapter in our national history,” Tambuwal stated at yesterday’s plenary while welcoming House members from election recess.
Akanbi, Ali To Buhari: Fight corruption with zeal
The pioneer chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) boss, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, and a legal giant, Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN), have urged President-elect Muhammadu Buhari to commit himself to fighting corruption with zeal.
The duo gave the advice in separate interviews with newsmen in Ilorin yesterday.
Akanbi lamented that the PDP- led federal government did not appreciate the enormity of corruption in the country, added that “it is up to Gen Buhari to let everybody realize that his government will not condone corruption.”
On his part, Ali said: “The president-elect should see Nigeria as one entity. He should keep Nigeria one as all Nigerians voted for him to get to power. Some people hijack leadership from the hands of some leaders. He should not allow this to happen in his case.”
Ali also advised him to fulfil all his promises to Nigerians.
“Buhari should be careful and allow people to hijack power or leadership from him. More importantly, he should fight corruption so that sanity and development would come to doorstep of Nigerians.”
CAN, NCEF congratulate Buhari, commend Jonathan
…say Jonathan is a true Christian democrat
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has congratulated Muhammadu Buhari on his election at last Saturday’s presidential election.
The two Christian organizations, in their separate congratulatory messages sent to journalists in Abuja, also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for displaying quality Christian and democratic character by conceding defeat at the elections.
CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, in his message to Buhari, also saluted Nigerians for the peaceful election and called for harmony between Christians and Muslims in their quest for a prosperous Nigeria.
Oritsejafor also praised President Jonathan for exhibiting good sportsmanship in congratulating his rival even before the official announcement of the winner.
The secretary of NCEF, Pastor Bosun Emmanuel, in his congratulatory message, said that despite the enormous tension and apprehension that preceded the election, Nigerians had demonstrated political maturity that elections can be won and lost without recourse to violence or acrimony.
While congratulating Buhari for his victory at the elections, NCEF wished him a successful tenure in office and joined all Nigerians and indeed the entire world to commend his act of statesmanship, Christian quality and democratic character by his peaceful concession of defeat.
Emmanuel said, “It is encouraging to observe that Nigeria is maturing democratically. Today, we celebrate a sitting president, who after conceding defeat at the polls, can say, ‘I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word.’ Mr president, we are proud of you.
“The sterling Christian and democratic qualities aptly demonstrated by President Jonathan are in line with our objective that democracy must thrive and be firmly rooted in Nigeria. The fruit of democracy is a peaceful, just, fair, and equitable society. These are the pillars upon which we can build a prosperous nation. We shall continue to work to entrench these values in our nation.”
The organization also encouraged all politicians in the country to play politics according to the admonition of Jonathan – that nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.
Jonathan deserves commendation – JNI
The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship conceding defeat at this critical moment of political turmoil.
The Islamic body also congratulated Nigerians for their doggedness, courage, resilience, maturity, and persistent prayers for a credible and hitch free presidential election.
In a statement by the JNI secretary, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the body reiterated its call for peace and urged all and sundry to go about their lawful businesses and remain calm and law abiding.
Presidential election was flawed, PDP govs declare
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum has declared that last Saturday’s presidential election in the country was flawed.
Accordingly, it vowed to challenge the election through legal processes, saying the party had already indicated that it would explore all legal means to seek redress.
Chairman of the forum and Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godwill Akpabio who stated this after he led the PDP governors to pay solidarity visit to President Goodluck Jonathan, said the governors were gladdened by the president’s disposition towards the outcome of the poll.
Addressing journalists after meeting with the president, Akpabio said they as governors of the ruling party assured the president that, as field commanders, they were going back to the states to ensure that they maintain their lead at the state level in the April 11 poll.
According to him, the April 11 state –level elections would show that the PDP was in control of the country and not vice versa.
PDP BoT secretary, Walid Jibrin, congratulates Buhari
* Says party members must not loose hope
The secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, has felicitated with the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, over his victory at the March 28 poll.
Jibrin, in a chat with LEADERSHIP yesterday, said the PDP has always believes and preaches that power comes only from God, who gives it to whoever He wishes.
“During our campaigns, we always preached that power belongs to God He gives it to whom he likes and takes it away from whom He wills and give whom He wills. Now that God gave power to Buhari we must all accept the will of God,” he said.
He added that President Goodluck Jonathan’s immediate acceptance of defeat and phone call to Buhari even before the votes were counted proved his statesmanship belief in democracy and the total will of God.
“While personally congratulating Buhari, I call on all Nigerians to be law abiding and shun all forms of violence in the cause of the celebration.
“May I also call on all our PDP members to remain calm in our struggle to win all other positions in the remaining elections. We must never loose hope.
“I urge all Nigerians to shun religious, ethnic, and sectional politics as Nigeria must remain one entity and shall never be allowed to break. To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done,” Jibrin said.
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