Nigeria congratulates Guinea Conakry

Nigeria has congratulated Guinea Conakry for conducting a successful election, describing its outcome as “the will of the people’’, the News Agency of Nigeria reports on Sunday in Conakry.

NAN reports that long-time opposition leader Prof. Alpha Conde was declared winner by Guinea’s Supreme Court in last month’s Presidential election.

Conde defeated his rival and former Prime Minister Cello Diallo with 52 per cent of the votes cast on November 7.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Odein Ajumogobia who was on a peace mission as special envoy of President GoodLuck Jonathan to Conakry told the Prime Minister of Guinea Mr Jean-Marie Dore that the outcome of the election reflected the will of the people.

“Nigeria has watched with interest the peaceful way the people of Guinea has accepted the election result.

“President Goodluck Jonathan congratulates the President-elect Prof. Alpha Conde, also at the Council of ECOWAS‘ Ministers, we all look forward to Guinea’s vital role on peace and stability in the region,’’ Ajumogobia said.

The minister also visited and commended Conde and Diallo for their roles in the democratic process of Guinea.

Speaking to Conde at his residence, Ajumogobia said that bilateral relations between Nigeria and Guinea dated back to independence in 1960.

“Both countries have long-standing relations politically through bilateral agreements, and at the regional level as members of ECOWAS; we hope our ties will grow from strength to strength,’’ he said.

Responding, Conde commended Nigeria for its support and cooperation to Guinea’s transition from military to democracy, saying that “Nigeria’s role as a Big Brother in the region had brought peace and stability in ECOWAS.”

He said that he would focus on strengthening ties with Africa on assumption of office.

Ajumogobia who also visited Diallo, described him as “an exceptional statesman,” saying that “unlike football, in politics there is no draw, the country is the winner, the fact that you lost to Conde does not diminish your person in any way, nearly 50 per cent of the people of Guinea are behind you’’.

He urged him to continue to play the role of a statesman, adding, “your action in accepting the result of the election has set examples for the rest of us’’.

Diallo, however, pointed out that the election was marred with irregularities.

According to him, his supporters “the Peuls, Guinea’s largest ethnic group, were dislocated following ethnic clashes before the election, some were killed, while others were tortured and arrested, all these planned just to distabilise me.”

He called for the release of his people adding that “even though I lost, the unity of Guineans must be protected.’’

NAN reports that the election represents the first democratic transfer of power since the country won independence from France in 1958.
Source:punchng