Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday night congratulated President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, over his victory in Saturday’s election.
Obasanjo, in a letter to the president-elect, said his success and victory “after three previous unsuccessful attempts must be great object lessons for you and for all politicians, particularly in Nigeria.”
“For me, the totality of 2015 elections hold many lessons for our democracy and democratisation process which are both maturing,” the former president said.
“On this occasion, the system has been unnecessarily overheated before and particularly during the campaigns when emphasis was more on trivialities and hate, divisive, undignifying and disrespectful statements and comments rather than on pressing issues requiring attention.”
Obasanjo, a two-term civilian president, urged the president-elect to “be magnanimous to start binding the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the campaign and the evil disciples.”
“With so much harm already done to many national institutions including the military, which proudly nurtured you and me, you will have a lot to do on institution reform, education, healthcare, economy, security, infrastructure, power, youth employment, agribusiness, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption. Your varied and wide experience will undoubtedly stand you in good stead,” he told Buhari.
“I am also sure that there are men and women of goodwill, character and virtue across the board that you can mobilise to join hands with you in the reform, repairs and re-direction that will be imperative to put Nigeria back on the fast lane of good governance, unity, cohesiveness, development and progress. Once again, I felicitate with you and wish you well.”