Obama praises President Jonathan for conceding defeat

US President Barack Obama praised Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday for conceding defeat,saying he placed his country's interests first .He said in a White House statement..

“President Jonathan has placed his country’s interests first by conceding the election and congratulating president-elect (Muhammadu) Buhari on his victory,”“I look forward to working with President Jonathan throughout the remainder of his term, and I thank him for his many years of service and his statesmanlike conduct at this critical juncture,”

The last few days have shown the world the strength of Nigeria’s commitment to democratic principles, By turning out in large numbers and sometimes waiting all day to cast their votes, Nigerians came together to decide the future of their country peacefully.

 “I urge president-elect Buhari and President Jonathan to repeat their calls to their supporters to continue to respect the election outcomes, focus on unifying the country, and together lead Nigeria through a peaceful transition,” 

  Obama also praised Nigeria’s Independent National Election Commission (INEC) and its chairman, which he said “deserve special recognition for what independent international observers have deemed a largely peaceful and orderly vote.”