President Muhammadu Buhari commended his immediate past predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for helping to strengthen the country’s democracy.
He gave the commendation on Thursday while speaking at the Leadership Annual Awards held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The president also expressed delight to be part of the occasion organised by the Leadership Newspapers Group to honour Nigerians who have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavour.
“Let me hasten to congratulate my joint award winners, my predecessor, His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR and Professor Attahiru Jega, the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, as “Leadership Person of the Year”,” the president said.
Buhari added that everyone who played positive roles in the 2015 elections were led by the higher ideal of the future of the country and the wellbeing of Nigerians rather than the mere desire of politicians to win elections.
“It is, therefore, our commitment to this ideal, the patriotic zeal of President Jonathan, the impartiality of the electoral umpire, INEC and exemplary conduct of the political parties, foreign pressure and other actors that we collectively disappointed the prophets of doom who had predicted the disintegration of the country after the 2015 general elections,” he said.
“Our democracy has been strengthened by the outcome of the 2015 elections as our people now have more faith in the electoral system in the sense that their votes would count when choosing political leaders at various levels. We, the political class should build on the experience of the 2015 elections to nurture our democracy.”
The president also congratulated other award winners for the recognition accorded them by the Leadership Newspapers.
“It is my fervent hope that the awards will encourage all those recognized today to remain committed to good behaviour in their various endeavours to justify this recognition and serve as inspiration to others,” the president said.
He also commended the newspaper for been in the forefront of promoting democracy and positive values that are necessary to achieve national consensus on the issues that challenge the country’s unity and progress.
He especially commended the newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah – who jostled with the president for the APC ticket in 2015 – for standing firm on the path of patriotism, justice and fairness.
The president said: “Our participation in today’s ceremony is therefore, a mark of confidence in the brand of journalism practiced by the Leadership Newspapers Group as it is a public acknowledgment of the contributions of the media to our administration’s agenda to defeat terrorism and violent extremism in the country, fight corruption and diversify the economy to create jobs for our teeming population and generally improve the standard of living of Nigerians.
“I expect the Nigerian media to join our government in pursuit of these goals not just to criticize to prove their independence.
“The media must continually see itself as true partner in the task of nation building and thus act in the spirit of patriotism at all times in the important role of informing the people of the country.”
The president promised to remain steadfast on the anti-corruption course and remain transparent to the media and all Nigerians.
2015 Polls: Only Jonathan should take credit for conceding defeat, says Dickson
However, Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson said only former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should take the credit for conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the Governor was reacting to the conferment of the joint award of ‘Person of the Year 2015’ on the former president by the Leadership Newspaper.
He also used the opportunity to call on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to always accord Jonathan the respect and honour of a true statesman that he is.
According to the Chairman of the newspaper, Mr. Sam Nda Isaiah, the award was in recognition of the sacrifice made by Jonathan in conceding defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari even before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) finished collating results of the presidential election.
Governor Dickson also commended the Leadership Newspaper for the honour done Dr. Jonathan and described the former President, as a distinguished statesman of inestimable quality.
The Governor noted that Democrats all over the world would continue to appreciate him for his exceptional display of sportsmanship in the 2015 election as an incumbent president, stressing that, that singular action puts him miles apart from other leaders, within the African continent and beyond.
The award, he said, was well deserving of the former president.
Dickson believes that the action taken by Jonathan saved thousands of lives that would have been lost and kept the unity of Nigeria intact, particularly against the backdrop of predictions of the nation’s disintegration.