President Muhammadu Buhari has said that history will judge former President Goodluck Jonathan well.
Buhari spoke at the 61st birthday celebration the former President and public presentation of the book, “My Hours of Transition,” written by him.
The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Federal Government, SFG, Boss Mustapha, was generous with praises for his predecessor.
Describing Jonathan as a true democrat, he said; “By the singular act of placing a call to me, you doused frayed nerves. Thank you for being a true democrat.
“I salute the statesmanship, sportsmanship, and courage embodied in the person of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who in 2015 without any pressure willingly conceded victory to me in the presidential election even when the collation of results was still in progress.
“Your singular act of placing the country over your ambition saved many lives all over the country. I congratulate you for being a good democrat.
“You were a leader of the past, a leader of the now and be rest assured, you will be a leader of the future. You will rise again.”
Buhari noted that his administration has demonstrated that service transcended party lines by completing projects began by the previous administration.
Noting that it was approximately 98 days to the 2019 general elections, he called on all political leaders to see elections as a contest based on principles and aspirations that will outlive the nation.
“Elections should never become a declaration of war. It should cement our brotherliness and nationhood,” he said.
In his comments, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was Chairman of the event, also congratulated Jonathan on the action he took in 2015 to spare the nation from anarchy.
READ ALSO: Buhari is repeating previous errors – Ezekwesili
Obasanjo said though he (Jonathan), was no longer in office, he still had to serve the nation just like every other leader.
“As past leaders we have residual responsibility to continue to serve people and serve God. You have residual responsibility to be of service in your community, state, in Nigeria, in West Africa, in Africa, and indeed in the world.”
Praising the virtues of democracy, Obasanjo said: “It fosters peace and not conflict and violence. It builds, it does not destroy. It unifies and does not divide. But this happens if democracy is found as an instrument in the hands of democrats.
“If it is in the hands of people I call hooligans in politics, it can be a dangerous weapon. So we must avoid hooligans to have access to this dangerous weapon because they can abuse it and misuse it.
“Our African brothers look up to us. Nigeria has a responsibility beyond her borders. Nigeria has a responsibility for West Africa, for Africa, for the black race all over the world.”
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon in his own remarks also commended former President Jonathan for putting the interest of the nation above his ambition in 2015.
He disclosed that at the time of the 2015 elections, the entire African Continent was on edge not knowing what the outcome of the would be.
He said; “I was at the AU at the time of the 2015 election and there was great fear and concern in the whole of Africa what the outcome would be. Then on the last day, news came that Ebele Jonathan had conceded defeat and congratulated the APC candidate.
“There was such jubilation throughout the AU meeting. You did something many people have not been able to do. You averted a very serious crisis and God will bless you for that.”
Gen. Gowon said Jonathan deserved all the encomium poured on him because what he did saved Nigeria and Nigeria’s democracy, adding; “Nigeria will always remain grateful to you.”
President Jonathan in his vote of thanks remarked that the rate of vote buying in the country had reached a scandalous level.
Conceding that the incidence of vote buying was not new, he said: “The incidence of inducing voters has been around for a long time, however, Nigerian have graduated from inducing voters to outright vote buying.”
He therefore called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to do whatever it could to put to an end such practice, which is not found in any other African country.
