AU, world leaders congratulate Buhari as country’s peace committee intervenes

President Muhammadu Buhari

AU, world leaders congratulate Buhari as country’s peace committee intervenes

More world leaders are sending congratulatory messages to re-elected Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari.

Although the election is mired in controversy, the United States, European Union and African Union (AU) have asked Nigerians to accept election result.

Buhari’s main challenger in the election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said he is taking his defeat to court for decision, insisting that the electoral umpire altered the result of the polls in favour of the ruling party.  

Members of the Nigeria National Peace Committee met with leaders of the opposition party, PDP, on Thursday.

Feelers from the closed-door meeting say the peace committee wants Atiku to accept the result of the polls or be peaceful about moves to challenge the pools results.  

In a statement on the AU Commission’s website on Friday, the Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, stated that “following the announcement made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Feb. 27, AU congratulates President Muhammadu Buhari for winning the presidential election.

“The union wishes President Buhari and the people of Nigeria success in efforts to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous country.”

Mahamat reiterated the conclusions of the AU Observer Mission and other international observers on the election process as largely peaceful and orderly and in conformity with Nigeria’s legal framework.

 The chairperson said the largely peaceful conduct of the elections marked another important step in the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria. He commended INEC for the conduct of the elections, and all the political actors and the Nigerian people for their high participation and maturity.

 He also called on stakeholders to continue “in this exemplary spirit’’ and refer to existing constitutional and legal framework and other peaceful means to resolve any dispute that may arise. Mahamat expressed optimism in the “peaceful conduct of the remainder of the elections’’ and renewed the AU’s commitment to continue working with the Nigerian authorities in support of the efforts and in furtherance of the continental agenda.