Buhari’s Press Statement: We Will Serve, But Not Rule Over Nigerians

brief press statement on the outcome of the elections.
Running on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, General
Buhari emerged winner of the presidential polls. It was officially
announced by the INEC last night.
In his message Buhari thanked his party, supporters and all those
who had enabled the peaceful and democratic conduct of the
election. The politician restated his commitment to the ideas
expressed in the electoral campaign.
See the statement provided by Vanguard in full:
“At exactly 5:15pm this evening President Jonathan called to
congratulate me on my victory.
“For this I want all Nigerians to join me in congratulating and
appreciating Mr President for his statesmanship.
“President Jonathan engaged in a spirited campaign and was a
worthy opponent. I extend my hand of fellowship to him. I look
forward to meeting him soon as we plan the transition from one
administration to another. He will receive nothing but
understanding, cooperation and respect from me and my team.
READ ALSO: The Men Who Made Buhari’s Victory Possible
“The good people of Nigeria, answered the call of history. When
the account of this fine moment is written, it will be said that it
was the people themselves who led this nation to democracy.
“You stood in line patiently for hours in the sun, rain and then in
the dark to cast your ballots. Even when the vote was extended to
Sunday in some places, you still performed your civic duty. You did
so peacefully. You voted with your heart. Your vote affirms that
you believe Nigeria’s future can be better than what it is today.
“You voted for change and now change has come.
INEC has released the official results of the Presidential election.
INEC has declared that I gained the most votes with the required
spread and thus won this election. In a more profound way, it is
you, Nigerians that have won. The people have shown their love
for our nation and their belief in democracy.
“The declaration of INEC accurately reflects the will of the
people. While there might have been some logistical obstacles and
irregularities associated with the exercise, the result shall stand
as what the people want.
“I thank all Nigerians who have made this day possible. Our
country has now joined the community of nations that have used
the ballot box to peacefully change an incumbent President in a
free and fair election. To me this is indeed historic.

“Most people will welcome the result because it is the one they
voted for. Others will naturally be disappointed. I ask that we all
be circumspect, respectful and peaceful in these times.
“This was a hard-fought contest. Emotions are high. We must not
allow them to get the better of us. This is not the time for
confrontation. This is a moment that we must begin to heal the
wounds and work toward a better future. We do this first by
extending a hand of friendship and conciliation across the political
divide. We hope and pray our friends in other parties reciprocate.
“I thank all the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
for their commitment and their hard work through the formation
of the party, the campaigns and the Presidential elections. Let me
equally extend my appreciation to the MEDIA, Civil Society and the
Security agencies for their selfless service.
“The International press and our friends abroad deserve special
commendation for their support throughout the process. We
promise a robust and dynamic engagement with your countries in
matters of mutual interest to nations.
“In the interim, I call on all Nigerians to be law abiding and
peaceful. The eyes of the world were focused on us to see if we
could vote in a peaceful way and carry out a representative
election in an orderly manner. You have proven to the world that
we are a people who have embraced democracy and a people who
seek a of government by, for and of the people.
“We have put one party state behind us. You have voted for a
party and president that will serve and govern but never rule over
you. Change has come. A new day and a new Nigeria are upon us.
The victory is yours and the glory is that of our nation – Nigeria.
“I will make a more formal address to the nation tomorrow after
receiving the certificate of return from INEC.
“May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Bola Tinubu, the APC national leader, also expressed joy over the
outcome, characterizing Buhari’s victory as the beginning of the
new era in the political history of Nigeria.