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EU Election Observation Mission Says Jonathan’s Concession of Defeat is Extraordinary Example for World
Chief Observer, European Union Election Observation Mission, Santiago Fisas (R) and Assistant Chief, Hannah Roberts, at a news conference on 2015 presidential and national assembly elections in Abuja on Monday
The European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria has described President Goodluck Jonathan’s concession of defeat before the announcement of the presidential election result as an extraordinary example to the world.
Santiago Fisas, the EU chief observer, told State House correspondents after his team submitted an interim report on the elections to Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday that the example was worthy of emulation.
He said the president was glad to receive the team and to also accept the interim report.
“I congratulate him because he conceded defeat in the election even before he knew the official result. That I feel is a very important thing; that is an extraordinary example for many countries in Africa and all over the World. I congratulate him for that. Of cause, we talked a little bit about the elections and I took the opportunity to give to him our preliminary statement about the elections and he was very happy to accept it.”
Fisas said that the team would submit the final report on the elections after observing the governorship and state houses of assembly elections on April 11.
According to him, the report will be made public in July.
The EU team also said that the report would be submitted to the president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Fisas, who acknowledged that many people did not expect elections in Nigeria to be conducted peacefully, maintained that the government and the people had proved such people wrong.
He said: “There have been other Presidents but Nigeria is an important country in Africa and an example to Africa and the rest of the world. You know many people didn’t expect this kind of elections; they expected a lot of problems after the elections which did not happen.”
The EU praised Jonathan and Nigerians for showing commitment to the elections in spite of the harsh weather conditions.
Fisas said that he expected Buhari to tackle some of the problems noticed during the elections when in office.
Photo Credit: NAN-PHOTO
