Jonathan accepts defeat
Former Head of State,
Abdulsalami Abubakar on Tuesday commended President Goodluck Jonathan (Peoples
Democratic Party) for conceding defeat to the All Progressives Congress
Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for winning Saturday’s election.
Abdulsalami, who is the Head
of the 2015 Elections Peace Committee, gave the commendation while speaking
with State House correspondents after his committee met President Jonathan at
the new Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.
He said that the committee was
in the Villa to ensure peace was maintained in the country and that he was
happy that President Jonathan had already called Gen. Buhari before the
committee arrived at the Villa.
He said: “We were here to
ensure peace is maintained at this moment we thank Nigerians and all
international community who came to support during the elections.
“The elections have been very
peaceful despite the hitches here and there. At the end of the elections, at
the counting that there are a lot of upheavals that have happened but
thankfully they have been contained.
“We were at the middle of a
meeting with the international observers to try to see how we can still water
the tension down, when gladly I called Gen. Buhari that we are going to see
him, he told me that Mr. President has called him at about 5:15 p.m. and
congratulated him and conceded defeat.
“We were spell bound and the
reason we have come here is to thank President Jonathan for this statesmanship.
In the history of Nigeria I think this is the first time where a contestant has
called his rival to congratulate him and through this point, President Jonathan
maintained a point that the blood of Nigerians is not worth his presidency and
by his action he has proved that.”
“He has proven to be a man of
his word
because during our interaction on this peace committee he has always maintained
that he is going to accept the result of the elections whichever way it is
done. And he has proved this.
“And I think we need
Nigerians, all of us to join hands in making sure we assist him in the peaceful
handing over. And I will appeal to all politicians those who are celebrating and
those who are sorrowing to please give peace a chance to be moderate.”
He went on: “In any contest
there is always going to be a winner and President Jonathan has accepted that
he lost and we want to thank him. On behalf of Nigerians I want to thank
President Jonathan for being the statesman that he is, he has approved that he
is a statesman and he has the love of this country in his heart. So Nigerians
should please help him to ensure this is real.”
He said that any Nigerian who
is aggrieved has the electoral laws to exploit to seek re-address.
“So if anybody has any grievance he should apply
through the law. I appeal again to our youth, to everybody to please give peace
a chance and accept that the chief contestant himself has accepted. So nobody
please go and raise any eyebrow and cause any destabilization of this country,” he stated
Members of the Peace Committee
that met the President included former military Chief of General Staff, Naval
Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Primate of the Anglican Church
(Nigerian Communion), Nicholas Okoh; former president of the Nigeria Bar
Association, Priscilia Kuye; the President’s Special Adviser on Inter-party
Affairs, Ben Obi; and prominent
industrialist, Aliko Dangote.
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Nation.
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