Saudi, Qatari Monarchs, Others Congratulate Buhari On Successful Return Bid

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, have congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his successful re-election bid.

In a telephone conversation with with the Nigerian leader yesterday, the custodian of the two holy mosques wished him good health in his second term in office.

The Saudi monarch extended good wishes of steady progress and prosperity to the government and people of Nigeria.

Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, appreciated the gesture, affirming his readiness to boost ties between the two nations.

In a wired message, Emir Al Thani wished the president and Nigerians success as well as more development and progress.

Also, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexey Shebarshin, identified with the nation’s number one citizen on the occasion.

While describing the elections as yet another substantial step towards further strengthening democracy, the envoy said: ‘’ It is my conviction that your decisive victory will pave the way for yet stronger and more prosperous Nigeria that you will be able to deliver on the people’s mandate. ‘’

He hoped that the renewed mandate would increase bilateral relations between the two countries.

Buhari also received congratulatory messages from the United Kingdom Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs as well as Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa, Cyril Ramaphosa and Uhuru Kenyatta of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya.

Besides, the Director General of Kogi State Bureau of Information and Grassroots Sensitisation, Abdulkarim Abdulmalik, has beseeched Nigerian youths to emulate the president.

Speaking yesterday in Lokoja in reaction to Buhari’s victory, he said they should aspire to be great and become a role model like the Daura, Katsina State-born leader.

Abdulmalik stated: “The youths of this country have so much to learn from this man who is so blessed that he is still sustaining his life for us so that we can learn.”

On the irregularity claim of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the polls, the DG admitted that no human was perfect.

“Nobody is infallible except the almighty God. Our democracy is just evolving when you compare it to the advanced economies like the United States that has been practising this system of government for over 200 years. It does not really add up as we just started yesterday,” he pointed out.

The Kogi official continued: “You cannot rule out irregularities, but we have to develop a large heart to accept the situation.”