US President Barack Obama congratulated the president-elect of Nigeria on Wednesday, saying the election in Africa's most populous country has shown the world the strength of Nigeria's commitment to democratic principles.
Obama said in a statement released by the White House that he was impressed with how Nigerians came together to decide the future of their country peacefully, and he commended both Buhari and incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan for their public commitment to non-violence throughout the campaign.
The U.S. president noted that Jonathan conceded the election and congratulated Buhari on his victory, paving the way for a peaceful and unprecedented transition of power in Nigeria. The U.S. leader praised Jonathan for his “statesmanlike conductâ€‌ and pledged to continue close bilateral cooperation with his administration for the remainder of his term.
Obama also praised Nigeria's election commission and its chairman for conducting a largely peaceful and orderly vote marked by increased credibility and transparency compared to previous elections.
“On behalf of the American people, I extend congratulations to the people of Nigeria and to President-Elect Buhari and look forward to continuing to work with the newly-elected government on our many shared priorities,‌ Obama wrote.