Ex-Pres. Jonathan visits Aso Rock to felicitate Tinubu

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday stormed the State House to felicitate President Bola Tinubu on the Supreme Court judgment validating his February 25 election victory.

According to Jonathan, President Tinubu and indeed Nigerians have what it takes to lead Africa.

Jonathan’s visit came barely 24 hours after the Supreme Court affirmed President Tinubu’s victory.

“Now that the tension is over, all hands must be on deck, so we move forward,” he said.

Jonathan, who expressed the felicitations in a closed-door meeting with Tinubu, said it is time for past Presidents to close ranks and think of solutions to the nation’s problems.

He said: “We need to bring all our political leaders including all our former Presidents together, we will not be fighting. If top leaders continue fighting they will not suffer that much but the downtrodden will suffer.

“And we want to end that tension, so we move forward. Elections are over and so we must move forward.

“That is what all Africans are saying. I had a programme on democracy dialogue and Prof. Lumumba spoke there. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to take a lead in Africa. Yes, we have challenges economically now but we still have what it takes to lead Africa.

“These are some of the issues I will continue to have conversations with Mr President on including briefing him on all my foreign programmes.”

Jonathan also said he was in Aso Rock to brief the President on his continental and regional missions which are of national interest to move “ECOWAS forward and to move the African continent forward.”

“They are not personal issues; traditionally former Presidents when they go outside the country for continental or regional programmes and even some international ones, when you come home you brief the President, that is the tradition.”