For being President and Commander-in-Chief today, President Muhammadu Buhari has described his 2015 election victory as a testament to the goodwill he enjoyed from Nigerians and described his victory in that election as ‘’the will of Nigerians.’’

 

President Buhari spoke Thursday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the 15th Daily Trust Dialogue which had as its theme, ‘Nigeria and the Challenges of 2019’.

 

“From Umuahia to Damaturu, Jalingo to Osogbo, our people queued for long hours at their polling units and kept vigil as election officials tabulated their votes. And then the big one: the then outgoing president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan historically set the tone for future political conduct in the country by graciously accepting defeat in a keenly contested race,’’ he said

 

Photo: AP/Kunle Ogunfuyi

The president who was represented at the occasion by the secretary to the government of the federation Mr. Boss Mustapha also gave credit to former President Goodluck Jonathan on displaying sportsmanship in the face of defeat. He called on politicians seeking electoral positions in the forthcoming 2019 general elections to eschew violence and follow due electoral processes.

 

“On our part, I want to assure Nigerians that my administration will not condone any violence, support any individual or groups that undermine citizens’ confidence in the ability of the country’s political institutions to conduct peaceful and successful elections”, he said.

 

image source: aljazeera