French President Francois Hollande spoke
with President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on the telephone on Thursday
and invited him to Paris for discussions on the expansion of trade
between France and Nigeria.
A statement by the French Embassy in
Abuja said the French leader congratulated Buhari on his success and
noted the peaceful and fair electoral process which had enhanced
Nigeria’s democracy.
“The French head of state assured the
President-elect of France’s wish to continue the close relationship that
existed with his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, and reiterated
France’s support for Nigeria and its neighbours in their efforts to
combat the terrorist sect, Boko Haram,” the statement added.
Hollande also expressed his wish to expand trade between France and Nigeria and invited his Nigerian counterpart to Paris.
Meanwhile, more government officials on
Thursday trooped to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to solidarise with
President Jonathan, two days after he lost his re-election bid.
Those who met the President in his office included ministers, heads of government agencies and Peoples Democratic Party chiefs.
Others were Governor Godswill Akpabio of
Akwa Ibom State; Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State and Governor
Sule Lamido of Jigawa State.
While Akpabio and Suswam met the President in his office, Lamido met Jonathan inside his official residence in the evening.
The governor arrived when the President
was breaking his fast with some clergymen who were led by his Chaplain,
Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba.
In a related development, Akpabio, who
is also the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum,
has commended President Jonathan for accepting the result of the March
28 presidential election.
A statement signed by the Commissioner
of Information, Mr. Aniekan Umana, in Uyo on Thursday, hailed Jonathan
for his statesman-like disposition in congratulating, in real time, the
President-elect.
“With this, President Jonathan has
destroyed the sit-tight syndrome associated with African leaders and
placed Nigeria as a beacon of true democracy to the rest of African and
indeed, the global community,” he said.
Akpabio also congratulated the
President-elect and urged him to institute an inclusive government that
would give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians, irrespective of
gender, ethnicity or religion.
He asked all the PDP faithful to remain
united and to display their strength by returning over 20 PDP governors
into office in April 11.
Also, a former Petroleum Minister, Chief Don Etiebet, congratulated Buhari for his resilience.
He said Buhari’s resilience was an
indication that he is a true patriot, a man who placed the love of his
country above every other thing.
Etiebet also commended the sportsmanship attitude which President Jonathan displayed in accepting the defeat.
He added that Jonathan’s attitude had
shown that there were leaders in the country who would not risk the
unity of Nigeria for their personal interests.
“Kudos to President Jonathan for being such an exemplary statesman. Nigeria is proud of you,” he said.
He, however, stated that the actions of
the two leaders demonstrated a new beginning in Nigeria. He said this
was bound to take the country on new paths of democracy and development
as the alternation of political leadership brings about true democracy
and good governance based on the competitiveness of their performance.
According to him, Nigerians love
Jonathan and that the new government will not forget the roles he played
and the transformation agenda he put in place.
He noted that the action had also proven to the rest of the world that Nigeria is, indeed, the biggest democracy in Africa.
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