Reports by Reuters says U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday commended Nigerian President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and current President Goodluck Jonathan following the African nation’s first democratic transfer of power, and he praised the country’s commitment to democracy.
“I urge President-Elect Buhari and President Jonathan to repeat their calls to their supporters to continue to respect the election outcomes, focus on unifying the country, and together lead Nigeria through a peaceful transition,” Obama said in a statement.
Also, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Wednesday that Nigerian election winner Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, the outgoing president, must ensure the transition to a new government remains peaceful.
Three decades after seizing power in a military coup, Buhari has become the first Nigerian to oust a president through the ballot box, putting him in charge of Africa’s biggesteconomy and one of its most turbulent democracies.
Jonathan called Buhari on Tuesday to concede defeat and issued a statement urging his supporters to accept the result.
“I congratulate Muhammadu Buhari on his election victory … and also President Goodluck Jonathan for the statesmanship he has shown in delivering free and fair elections and accepting the result,” Hammond said in a statement.
“It is now important for both parties to ensure the transition to a new government remains peaceful.”
