President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential inaugural dinner in Abuja on Thursday, May 28, 2015 asked Nigerians to cooperate, support and show understanding in all situations to the incoming administration for the progress of the country .
The President said the in-coming administration deserved support because Nigerians irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds belonged to “one strong family”.
According to him, in order for the country to make steady progress, Nigerians would have to work together at all levels regardless of the outcome of the recent 2015 general elections.
He also called on the incoming administration to pursue programmes and policies geared towards promoting national unity and rapid development of the country.
The president described the emergence of Dr Akinwumi Adeshina as the President of African Development Bank (AfDB) as a well deserved parting gift to him. He thanked African leaders for making it possible for Nigeria to preside over the bank for the first time since its inception.
In her remarks at the occasion, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, promised Nigeria’s President-elect, Muhammadu Bahari, of the Union’s support.
Dr. Zuma also commended President Jonathan for his statesmanship during and after the election, describing him as a “statesman not in age but in status”:
“Nigerians, you did us proud because if things go well in Nigeria they will go well in our continent,” she said.
The President of the ECOWAS commission, Mr Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, thanked the people and government of Nigeria for the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections.
He described the exercise as Nigeria’s greatest contribution to ECOWAS thus far.
Ouédraogo also commended Nigeria’s efforts in tackling the spread of Ebola virus across the sub-region as well as her help in resolving the political crises in Guinea Bissau, Mali and other ECOWAS countries.
The highlight of the event was the conferring on the Vice-President elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo with the medal of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) by President Jonathan.
