BY COBHAM NSA, ABUJA – More congratulatory messages continue to pour into the Aso Rock Villa for Muhammadu Buhari over his poll victory and re-election as Nigeria’s President for another four-year term.
The victory felicitations are coming from African leaders and the United Kingdom with the latest being King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco.
In congratulating President Buhari on securing a second term as president, the United Kingdom Government commended Nigerians for their resilience and commitment to democracy.
A statement from the British High Commission in Abuja on Wednesday, quoted the Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, as saying “I offer my congratulations to President Buhari on securing a second term as the Nigerian President.
“The UK is a long-standing friend and partner of Nigeria and the Nigerian people and a stable and prosperous Nigeria benefits Africa and the world.”
The Minister acknowledged that results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were consistent with the results obtained through the civil society Parallel Vote Tabulation process.
According to her; “Along with our international partners, the UK believes the Nigerian people can have confidence in the result.”
Baldwin, who recognised concerns expressed by Nigerians on the conduct of the electoral process, particularly in relations to logistics, results collation, and reports of intimidation of electoral officers, urged any aggrieved party or individual to toe the path of peace and adopt appropriate legal channel in challenging the electoral process
“We encourage Nigerian authorities to examine all allegations of wrongdoing carefully and take the necessary action against individuals found responsible,” the Minister counseled.
Baldwin also condoled with the families and friends of all those that lost their lives in election-related violence, adding; “No one should die in the exercise of their democratic rights.”
She assured that the UK Government would continue to support Nigeria and its civil society “in drawing lessons from these elections and strengthening its democracy.”
Also, a statement in Abuja on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Moroccan Monarch, King Mohammed VI has described President Buhari’s victory as an affirmation of the level of confidence Nigerians have in their President.
King Mohammed, who promised to work with President Buhari to advance the interests of both countries, said; “Your re-election is a testimony to the level of confidence that you enjoy among the people of Nigeria, attributable to your wisdom, experience in politics, sense of engagement and devotion to the service and the protection of the interests of the country especially as they relate to the prosperity, wellbeing and security of your people.”
In his congratulatory message, King Mohammed VI expressed satisfaction with the existing cordial and fraternal African relationship linking the two leaders, their people, and nations.
He reiterated his determination to work in concert with President Buhari to reinforce the mutually beneficial relationship between Morocco and Nigeria and to give it a new impetus to serve as a model on the African continent.
Also in his congratulatory message, the Guinean President, Alpha Conde described President Buhari’s re-election as a dose of hope for the West African region.
Conde expressed confidence that the cordial relations between Nigeria and Guinea would continue to get better.
Similarly, President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, the first leader to call President Buhari minutes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him winner of the 2019 presidential elections, said he looked forward to working with the Nigerian leader to further strengthen Nigeria-Niger relations.
Not left out in the torrent of the re-election of congratulatory messages pouring in from within and outside the continent are Ghanaian and Senegalese Presidents, Nana Kofi-Addo and Macky Sall, who described the victory as well-deserved.
