Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said that President Goodluck Jonathan has demonstrated that he is truly a statesman and a patriotic Nigerian.

Speaking today at a Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders meeting in Asaba, the governor said that by the courageous act of conceding defeat and personally calling on General Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him, Jonathan exhibited an uncanny patriotism and statesmanship.

“For me, the hero of this election is Mr. President; if he did not do what he did, if he did not call General Buhari, the story would have been different. We congratulate the President for being a statesman, for being a worthy example, for being patriotic and showing that personal interests should not override national interest,” Uduaghan said.

He noted that, in particular, President Jonathan’s congratulatory message to Gen. Buhari saved the country from post-elections chaos, reiterating: “The President showed an exemplary character. He waited patiently to be accredited and asked Nigerians to be patient despite the challenges of the elections and personal embarrassment to his person and office.”

Uduaghan also noted that the emergence of Buhari as President-elect signifies the enthronement of true democratic culture in Nigeria by President Jonathan. “For us in Delta State we congratulate President Jonathan for giving us a democratic process that allows for free and fair elections,” the governor stated.

Uduaghan congratulated Buhari on his election, disclosing that the meeting was called by him to thank members of the PDP for their impressive showing during last weekend’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

His words: “I called this meeting to thank you sincerely and to congratulate you on our very strong showing as a party during the last elections, I believe we had the strongest showing in the country. It happened because we are united, we worked hard and we worked together. I want to thank you sincerely and I want to commend the PDP for putting up a democratic process that gives power to the people.

“My appeal is that as we did it on March 28 and March 29 we should also do the same on the 11th of April, for all our candidates so that we can come tops at the end of the day.”

In his speech, PDP governorship candidate in the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, said Governor Uduaghan’s leadership qualities made it possible for the party to win the three senatorial seats, nine seats of the House of Representatives and record victory in all the local government areas during the elections.

While expressing confidence that the PDP will similarly emerge victorious in the governorship and House of Assembly elections, Senator Okowa thanked leaders of the PDP for their commitments towards delivering votes for the party.

He urged Deltans not to waver in their commitment towards working for the victory of the PDP in the remaining elections.

•Photo shows, from left; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Delta State PDP chairman, Mr. Edwin Uzor and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, during a PDP Stakeholders meeting held in Government House, Asaba.

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