Former President Goodluck Jonathan paid President Bola Tinubu a visit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The visit comes only 24 hours after the Supreme Court validated Tinubu’s candidature in the hotly fought presidential election on February 25, 2023.
Though the purpose for Jonathan’s visit was unknown, he was shown in a video congratulating Tinubu on the Supreme Court‘s decision.
Jonathan told media following the closed-door meeting with the President that he came to brief Tinubu of some of his recent abroad activities as well as several challenges impacting the country.
He said that the visit gave him the opportunity to congratulate the President on Thursday’s decision, adding that now that the legal squabbles are ended, the country must move forward.
Despite the myriad obstacles that Nigeria faces, Jonathan is certain that the country has what it takes to lead Africa.
“There are certain things we discussed that the country must move forward. Elections are over, we must move forward,” the ex-President said.
“Yes, we have challenges economically now, we still have all it takes to lead. These are some of the issues I will continue to have a conversation with Mr President, including briefing him on all my foreign programmes because they are not personal issues.
“Traditionally, if a former president goes outside the country for this continental, regional or international, they come home and tell the President. That is the tradition. Most of the time, when you see me here, it is because of this thing we must do to move Nigeria, ECOWAS, and the African continent forward.”
He urged all political leaders, including previous presidents, to put aside their differences and work together in peace for the welfare of the country.
According to Jonathan, as Africa’s most populous nation, there is a need to resolve the tension and move ahead together.
