Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has said he visited President Bola Tinubu on Friday(yesterday), to congratulate to discuss core issue affecting the nation.
The two leaders met behind closed doors after which Mr Jonathan while addressing journalists urged that ex-Nigerian presidents and other political leaders must stop “fighting” for the sake of the country.
The former president said he was scheduled to visit Mr Tinubu last week but the meeting could not hold.
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“But today, it has now coincided with the judgement of the supreme court yesterday. So it is an opportunity for me to also congratulate Mr President.
“We talked a lot about the country. You will see more of me because there are certain things we discussed and the country must move forward,” he said.
Mr Jonathan added there was a need to bring Nigerian political leaders including former presidents together and prevent them from “fighting.”
Although Mr Jonathan did not mention any particular former president, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo vehemently opposed the election of Mr Tinubu and is believed to still be opposed to the new administration.
“We need to bring all our political leaders including all our former presidents together,” Mr Jonathan said. “We will not be fighting; if top leaders continue fighting they will not suffer that much but the downtrodden will suffer.”
“Elections are over and we want to end that tension so we move forward,” Mr Jonathan added.
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Nigeria’s supreme court affirmed President Tinubu’s election victory on Thursday, bringing an end to a legal challenge brought by his two main rivals, who argued that his victory was marred by fraud and electoral law breaches.
“There is no merit in this appeal, and it is hereby dismissed,” said Supreme Court judge John Okoro.
With the conclusion of litigation on the presidential election, Mr Jonathan said it is time for Nigeria to take a lead in Africa.
“Yes, we have challenges economically now but we still have what it takes to lead Africa,” he said.
“These are some of the issues I will continue to have conversations with Mr President, including briefing him on all my foreign programmes.
“They are not personal issues. Traditionally, former presidents, when they go outside the country for continental or regional programmes and even some international, when you come home you brief the president. That is the tradition.”
Mr Jonathan has served or currently serves as an envoy for regional bodies including ECOWAS and the AU.