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Presidential Elections: President Jonathan’s Act is Historic, Heroic and Statesmanlike, Says Uduaghan
BY OMOS OYINBODE, ASABA
Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said that President Goodluck Jonathan has demonstrated that he was truly a statesman and a patriotic Nigerian.
Speaking Wednesday at a Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders meeting in Asaba, Delta State capital, the Governor said that by the courageous act of conceding defeat and personally calling on General Mohammadu Buhari to congratulate him, Mr. President exhibited an uncanny patriotism and statesmanship.
“For me, the hero of this election is Mr. President; if he had not done what he did, if he had not called General Buhari, the story would have been different, we congratulate the President for being a statesman, for being a worthy example, for being patriotic and showing that personal interests should not override national interest.”
In particular, he said that President Jonathan’s congratulatory message to Gen. Buhari saved the country from post-elections chaos, reiterating that “the President showed an exemplary character, he waited patiently to be accredited and asked Nigerians to be patient despite the challenges of the elections and personal embarrassment to his person and office.”
Besides, he stated that the emergence of General Mohamadu Buhari as President-elect signified the enthronement of true democratic culture in Nigeria by the President, saying: “For us in Delta State, we congratulate President Jonathan for giving us a democratic process that allows for free and fair elections.”
The Governor, who used the occasion to congratulate General Buhari on his election, disclosed that the meeting was called by him to thank members of the PDP for their impressive showing during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
According to him, “I called this meeting to thank you sincerely and to congratulate you on our very strong showing as a party during the last elections, I believe we had the strongest showing in the country, it happened because we are united, we worked hard and we worked together, I want to thank you sincerely and I want to commend the PDP for putting up a democratic process that gives power to the people.”
“My appeal to all Nigerians is that as we did it on March 28 and March 29, we should also do the same on the 11th of April, for all our candidates so that we can come tops at the end of the day.”
The PDP Governorship candidate in the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, said Governor Uduaghan’s leadership qualities made it possible for the PDP to win the three Senatorial seats, nine seats of the House of Representatives and victory in all the local government areas during the Presidential elections.
While expressing confidence that the PDP would also, emerge victorious in the governorship and House of Assembly elections Senator Okowa thanked leaders of the PDP for their commitments towards delivering votes for the PDP.
Senator Okowa urged Deltans not to waver in their commitment towards working for the victory of the PDP in the remaining elections.
