By Dwelleth Morountodun
Former military President, Ibrahim Babangidda, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, over his victory in last Saturday’s poll,
even as he urged the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to close rank with Buhari to move the country forward.
He advised Buhari not to see the losers as enemies but as opponents in the keenly contested election, urging him to heal the wound of the political campaign by embracing each of them.
In a statement made available to the media, he said: “I wish to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election to lead Nigeria in the next four years.
“I have observed that, the electioneering campaign was very strenuous and the contest very keen. That despite the turbulent terrain of politics, the President submitted and subjected himself to this process.
“The newly elected president should heal the wounds of the heated campaign exchanges by embracing those who contested alongside with him.”
He said: “Now that the President has won his re-election bid, he should confront with renewed vigour the most urgent problem confronting Nigeria: ‘insecurity of lives and property’.
“The Boko Haram insurgency remains a threat to many Nigerians particularly in the North East sub region, while the twin evils of kidnapping and armed robbery/armed banditry remain a major national menace.”
The former president urged Buhari to creatively turn around the economy through creating job opportunities, adding: “There is the need to be more creative in formulating policies that will improve the nation’s economy, create employment opportunities and give hope to our teaming youths.
“The President may wish to heed to the yearnings of reasonable Nigerians for restructuring and seek all constitutional means to devolve some powers presently exercised by the federal government to the other tiers of government.”
On Atiku, he said: “I was particularly impressed with the gallant and audacious spirit of the main challenger in the presidential race, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“I was not surprised that even though he lost the most exotic position of the land, his doggedness and pattern of support cut across ethnic, religious and regional lines that earned him the second position of the last Presidential election.”
He called on the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar to close ranks and work with the winner of the election in an objective and constructive manner so that democracy will continue to thrive in our country at this crucial period of renaissance.
Hie said: “I urged him also to endeavour and prevail on his admirers to eschew bitterness and violence.
“They must be prevailed upon to understand that politics is a game in which there must be only one winner.”