President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday urged Nigerians to cooperate,support and show understanding in all situations to the Muhammadu
Buhari administration for the progress of the country.
Jonathan, who made the call at the presidential inaugural dinner in Abuja, said the incoming administration deserved the support because
Nigerians irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds belonged to “one strong family”.
According to him, for the country to make steady progress Nigerians must all work together at all levels regardless of the outcome of the
2015 general elections.
He, therefore, called on the incoming Buhari’s administration to pursue programmes and policies meant to promote national unity and rapid development of the country.
Jonathan described the emergence of Dr. Akinwumi Adeshina as president of the African Development Bank as a well deserved parting gift to him.
He, therefore, thanked all African leaders for making it possible for Nigeria to preside over the bank for the first time since its
inception.
In her remarks at the occasion, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, assured Bahari of the Union’s
support.
Zuma, who also congratulated President Jonathan for his statesmanship during and after the election, described him as a “statesman not in
age but in status”.
She said: “Nigerians, you did us proud because if things go well in Nigeria they will go well in our continent.”
In his goodwill message, the President of the ECOWAS commission, Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, thanked the people and government of Nigeria for
ensuring peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections. He described the exercise as Nigeria’s greatest contribution to ECOWAS.
Ouédraogo also commended Nigeria’s effort in tackling the spread of Ebola virus across the sub-region as well as the political crises in
Guinea Bissau, Mali and other ECOWAS countries.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the highlight of the event was the conferring on the Vice-President elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, with
the medal of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger by President Jonathan.
NAN.