 |
| President-elect Mohammadu Buhari: I extend a hand of friendship and conciliation to President Jonathan and his team. I harbour no ill will against anyone |
01 APRIL 2015
I am immensely grateful to God for this day and for this
hour. I feel truly honoured and humbled that the Nigerian people have so
clearly chosen me to lead them. The official announcement from INEC was the
moment the vast majority of Nigerians had hoped and been waiting for. Today,
history has been made, and change has finally come. Your votes have changed our
national destiny for the good of all Nigerians .
INEC has announced that I, Muhammadu Buhari, shall be your
next president. My team and I shall faithfully serve you. There shall no longer
be a ruling party again: APC will be your governing party. We shall faithfully
serve you. We shall never rule over the people as if they were subservient to
government.
Our long night has passed and the daylight of new democratic
governance has broken across the land. This therefore is not a victory for one
man or even one party. It is a victory for Nigeria and for all Nigerians.
Millions of you have worked for this day. So many have risked life and
livelihood; and others have died that we may witness this moment.
And it is with a very heavy heart that I report many deaths
and injuries amidst the jubilations yesterday. We send our sincere condolences
to the families and friends of those who lost their lives; and wish speedy
recovery to those who suffered injuries. I appeal to all our supporters to
celebrate this victory with prayers and reflection instead of wild jubilation.
May the souls of those who died rest in peace. Let us take a
moment of silence to honour all of those whose sacrifices have brought us to
this fine and historic hour. As the results of the election have shown, their
labour has not been and will never be in vain. Democracy and the rule of law
will be re-established in the land.
Let us put the past, especially the recent past, behind us.
We must forget our old battles and past grievances—and learn to forge ahead. I
assure you that our government is one that will listen to and embrace all.
I pledge myself and our in-coming administration to just and
principled governance. There shall be no bias against or favouritism for any
Nigerian based on ethnicity, religion, region, gender or social status. I
pledge myself and the government to the rule of law, in which none shall be so
above the law that they are not subject to its dictates, and none shall be so
below it that they are not availed of its protection.
