The Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, on Monday described the outcome of the 2015 general election as a temporary setback for the Peoples Democratic Party and not its final destination.
Prof. Alkali, who stated this in Abuja, however, appealed to the supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan to use the transition period as a time for self reflection to heal and re-strategise.
According to him: “I wish to appreciate and thank all the groups and individuals that have contributed one way or the other to support President Jonathan during the election.
“We should all see the outcome of the presidential election as temporary setback not a full-stop in a long sentence of the political history of this great country Nigeria.”
The Special Adviser said although the President and the PDP lost in the election, it was only a bus stop but certainly not a terminus as all the supporters of Dr. Jonathan still remain the most critical political assets of the PDP and awaits the direction of the party. “It is conceivable that as a result of this unprecedented setback, our members and supporters may lose focus, hope and direction and even be tempted to engage in divisive activities, nonetheless, we should be more united than ever before as the task now is to join hands together to strengthen the party,” Prof. Alkali stated.
He thus called on all the supporters of President Jonathan nationwide, especially the men and women that contributed to the campaigns and stood for the President in the just concluded presidential election, to remain calm and resolute as the country prepares for the May 29 handover to the incoming administration.
Speaking on the decision of the President to concede to his opponent, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, now President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, even when the entire result of the election was not announced, the Political Adviser said: “Our President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has displayed and established an exceptional legacy that will remain permanent not only in Nigeria but in the whole of Africa.
“The President’s actions to call and congratulate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari before the final results were announced shows that Dr. Jonathan is a man of his words and is leaving an indelible mark in the sands of time.”
Prof Alkali expressed appreciation to the supporters of the President and everyone for their individual and collective support and urged them to have faith in the PDP.
The Presidential Adviser further advised those promoting chaos and disaffections in the country to desist from it because, according to him, Nigeria has shamed all doomsday sayers.