President
Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday
received the Certificate of
Returns from the Independent
National Electoral Commission
(INEC) following his declaration
Monday night as the winner of
the Saturday presidential election
withover 22 million votes and
more than the required 25 per
cent of the votes cast across the
36 states and the Federal Capital
Territory.
The ceremony which was held at
the National Electoral Institute
was presided over by the
Chairman of the Commission
Prof. Attahiru Jega.
The president was accompanied
by governors of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), ministers
and party members.
In his brief remark, President
Jonathan commended the
electoral body for placing the
country on a higher pedestrian
and challenged it to do better in
the coming Tuesday
governorship and state Assembly
elections.
He noted that with the
performance of INEC so far, it
was obvious that 2015 would be
far better.
His words: “We thank God. It is
God that made it possible if it is
man it wouldn't have been
possible. Secondly, we want to
appreciate Nigerians for the
cooperation they gave to INEC
and indeed this government and
for massively turning out on
Saturday to vote for us.
“It shows you are patriotic. We
watch on television, we saw old
people. We really have to
commend INEC, Professor Jega
and his team has made Nigeria
proud. Before now the
international observers use to
paint our elections in different
colours but this year's elections,
first that of the National
Assembly and then the
presidential, the information we
have received and what we have
read in the papers is that they
have given us a pass mark.
“It has to be so because of the
competence of INEC officers and
the position not compromising
your independence. We thank
you, all Nigerians are happy
because you have placed us on
higher rank of the ladder and
others have seen us as people
who conduct credible elections.
“This is beginning of good
governance, this is a beginning of
economicdevelopment, this is
the beginning of major changes
in this country.
“We hope that by the grace of
God the last leg of election
coming on the 26th will be
better than the presidential
elections,” he said.
On the unrest in some part of
the Northern states said
inventories of the damages in
some part of the country in the
wake of the presidential election
would be taken so as to put in
place measure that would
ensure that similar thing does
not occur in the future.
“It is regrettable that when
international observers are
commending us for conducting
credible elections, we witnessed
some skirmishes in parts of the
country. It is really regrettable;
this is what happened in the late
50s when some parts of the
country witnessed things like this.
But that is what the new
generation leaders have to face.
We will make sure that in the
next four years issues like this
will not lead to riot. We assure
Nigerians we will carry everyone
along; we will run an open
government where all Nigerians
will play a key role irrespective of
party affiliations.
“For those who have lost
families, properties, we assure
them that we will look into all
the issues; we will take inventory
of all the properties destroyed to
ensure that similar things don't
happen again.
“We use this opportunity to
appeal to all leaders and
religious leaders to condemn the
act so that our country will
witness major development.
“Nobody will want to invest in a
place that is unstable, that
people fight, kill and destroy.
Most of the youths involved in
this act from what we see, look
like unemployed young people.
These are people we are
committed to change their lives,
these are people we must find
jobs for them so that they will no
longer be tools.
“We believe that when INEC will
conduct the 2015 election it will
not need to riot. It is a challenge
that we must all take up.”

Mr president has spoken. God bless you GEJ. Pls work like no tomorrow this time around.