Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the presidential election.
He sent his goodwill messages to the President in a statement personally signed by him on Saturday.
“I wish to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on his re-election to lead Nigeria in the next four years,” said the former military president.
He added, “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. Indeed is a clear testimony that he believes in the democratic process and ideals.”
General Babangida noted that the Presidential and National Assembly elections have come and gone.
He also congratulated the electorate for conducting themselves peacefully during the voting process, stressing that they were enthusiastic to exercise their democratic rights of electing candidates of their choice.
The elder statesman, however, regretted the loss of lives in the elections as a result of violence in some part of the country.
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He, therefore, extend his heartfelt condolences to their families for the death of their loved ones.
On the way forward after the exercise, General Babangida urged President Buhari to embrace those who contested with him in the election.
He said, “The newly elected President should heal the wounds of the heated campaign exchanges by embracing those who contested alongside with him.”
“The President must resist the temptation to see them as enemies; not even opponents, but fellow compatriots who merely disagreed with him on how best to move our country forward.”
IBB further challenged the President to confront the ‘insecurity of lives and property,’ which he said was the most urgent problem confronting Nigeria, with renewed vigour.
According to him, 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 elder statesman also asked President Buhari to must pay priority attention to the security issues he highlighted and be creative in improving the economy.
“The economy of the country must also occupy the President’s urgent attention,” he said. “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.”
He added, “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.”
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