SAN FRANCISCO, May 30, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, revealed that he was stunned by former President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defeat and called him before the official declaration of results.
He made the declaration at an interactive session with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa Abuja, as part of meetings held to commemorate the President’s one year in office.
“This is where I pay my respect to former President Goodluck Jonathan. This is actually a privileged information for you. He called me at a quarter past five in the evening. He said good evening your Excellency. Sir and I said good evening.
“He said, I have called to congratulate you that I have conceded defeat. Of course, there was dead silence on my end, because I did not expect it. I was shocked.
“I did not expect it because after 16 years the man was a deputy governor, governor, Vice President and was President for six years. For him to have conceded defeat even before the result was announced by INEC I think it was quiet generous and gracious of him.
“Abdulsalami recognized the generosity of Jonathan to concede defeat and said we should go and thank him immediately and that was the first time I came here,” he said.
He also added that the change mantra of the All Progressive Congress (APC) had gone through hell in the first year of his administration.
“This is the condition we found ourselves and this change mantra had to go through hell up till yesterday. And for you to talk to whoever came to visit us throughout that year I wonder how each of your diaries would be, because people were expecting this change mantra in their own way.”
Story by David Oputah
