Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Martin Amidu has congratulated the people of Nigeria for their impressive show of democratic maturity during Saturday’s tightly contested elections that led to the selection of General Muhammadu Buhari as president.

He said he hopes the election of Gen. Buhari as president will contribute to the transformation of Nigeria and the entire African continent.

Below is the complete statement copied to Myjoyonline.com.

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, PRESIDENT-ELECT GEN MUHAMMADU BUHARI

I convey my warmest congratulations to the People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the epoch-making event of giving General Muhammadu Buhari a stunning victory over the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in the just concluded Presidential elections.

Changing a Government under which the mass of ordinary people were unnecessarily and needlessly burdened over the years under the yoke of massive and pervasive corruption, deliberate oligarchic mismanagement of abundant natural resources, party political and ethnic cronyism and abject ineptitude peacefully through the ballot box is a feat worthy of emulation by other citizens of the West African subcontinent in particular and Africa in general.

Positive development in good governance and accountability in Nigeria has always served as a beacon of hope for the rest of the citizens of the West African subcontinent in particular and Africa in general. Lack of transparency, probity, and accountability in Nigeria translates into a pandemic across the sub-region and the continent as a vacuum is created by the absence of effective Nigerian leadership.

I have no doubt that with the wise decision of the Nigerian people in electing General Muhammadu Buhari as President of the Federal Republic, integrity, incorruptibility, probity and accountability in the Nigeria body polity will soon be restored.

The track record of President-elect Gen. Buhari, and his unassailable commitment to democratic processes since Constitutional governance in Nigeria in 1999 gives hope that under his leadership Nigeria will once more instill the values of good, and accountable governance not only in Nigeria but will also be an advocate for those values and norms in the West African sub-region and the continent at large.

I whole heatedly congratulate President-elect Gen. Buhari for his patience, consistency to purpose, persistence and this victory that allows him to make a very positive and beneficiary difference in the lives of ordinary Nigerians as President of the Federal Republic.

I have been a disciple of the epoch-making ideals and values of June 4 and 31st December Revolutions in Ghana which at the time held great promise for positive transformation in the lives of ordinary Ghanaians and Africans. We believed in probity and accountability and placed the interest of the ordinary people above all other consideration.

It is therefore my prayer and hope that President-elect Buhari’s victory which is a victory of hope and transformation will translate into the beginning of a new renaissance in the sub-region and the whole of the African continent for a new democracy in which wanton corruption, abuse of power, lack of transparency in governance, deceit of the citizenry, ineptitude, ethnicity and impunity by some African Governments will one by one be voted out of power by the awakened people learning from this great example of the people of Nigeria in the just concluded elections.

This is a period of great enthusiasm and hope not only for the people of Nigeria but also for those of us in the sub-region and Africa in general. President-elect Buhari definitely has a major task of transforming Nigeria from the recent perception of oligarchic impunity and lack of direction. Nonetheless President-elect Buhari is now a shining star not only for Nigeria but for most of the suffering masses in the sub-region and Africa. He should therefore, find some space within his primary task of giving hope and transformation to ordinary Nigerians to also ensure that the principles and values that won him this deserving victory spreads throughout the sub-region and the continent.

May Allah guide and guard President-elect Buhari and the people of Nigeria in the difficulty but must do task of honest and accountable governance that lies ahead of Nigeria and Africa. May your integrity and honesty as well as a never-give-up attitude to a positive cause prevail throughout your term and empower like-minded leaders on the African continent to emulate and follow your shining path. May you use your wisdom and diligence to carry along all Nigerians including those who did not vote for you in order to achieve the common purpose of rebuilding a strong, motivated and united Nigeria that will demonstrate the expected leadership on the African continent.

Martin A. B. K. Amidu