By Zik Gbemre
We would like to first congratulate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) and the
All Progressive Congress (APC), on their victory of the recently concluded
Nigeria’s Presidential election which witnessed, for the first time in the
country’s Democratic history; the unseating of an incumbent President and
the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a generally-accepted and
‘peaceful’ Presidential election.
We would also like to acknowledge and heartily appreciate the incumbent
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for quickly taking the initiative to
concede defeat by first calling the opposition party’s Presidential
candidate Gen. Buhari, to congratulate him in the face of the
keenly-contested Presidential elections. This ‘decisive move’ by President
Jonathan and his concession speech of accepting defeat, not only doused
and calmed the ‘already-tensed’ political atmosphere across the country,
but will surely go into the history books as evidence of Nigeria’s
maturing Democracy. Never in the history of Nigeria’s Democratic rule have
we witnessed such demonstration of Exemplary leadership and sportsmanship
in the face of a hotly-contested Presidential elections. Such
demonstration of patriotism and love for ones country is not only worth
emulating by all Nigerian Politicians, but also worth every commendation
and praise it gets.
This will surely enhance Nigeria’s Democracy in the eyes of the
International Community. President Jonathan has demonstrated that, in any
electioneering process, it is the overall interest of Nigeria as a country
that should override any individual or political party interest. We pray
that Nigerian Politicians, especially at the State Government level, will
emulate and demonstrate such patriotic spirit, particularly as we approach
the April 11,2015 Governorship elections across the nation. Long live
Nigeria’s Democracy, long live the Federal Republic.
Zik Gbemre,JP.
National Coordinator
Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)
No.28, Opi Street Ugboroke Layout, Effurun-Warri,
P.O. Box 2254, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.
