Nigeria’s president elect Muhammadu Buhari, has issued a warning to Boko Haram saying they saying he will focus on getting rid of the militant group which has continued to terrorise the country for many years.
“Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will. We should spare no effort,” Buhari said in his first formal speech since winning the election. “In tackling the insurgency, we have a tough and urgent job to do.”
Buhari was the first democratically elected opposition leader of Nigeria in an election that was tightly contested pitting him against incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.
He won by 2.5 million votes.
Buhari a former military ruler has also vowed to tackle corruption which he termed as an even greater evil.
He has also pledged reconciliation with political opponents who fear a return to his autocratic regime of the 1980s, and a government representing “all Nigerians”.
It was Nigeria’s democratically conducted elections that won the hearts of many not only regionally but globally as well. World leaders congratulated Gen Buhari and hailed Nigeria’s democratic spirit.
Buhari praised his defeated rival , saying: “I extend a hand of friendship and conciliation to President Jonathan and his team. I have no ill will against anyone. He has nothing to fear from me. He is a great Nigerian and still our president.”
Pledging to uphold the rule of law, the former military ruler said: “Your constitutional rights remain in safe hands – you will be able to voice your opinion without fear of victimisation.”
The 72-year-old general, who first came to power three decades ago via a military coup and campaigned as a born-again democrat, also promised to tackle graft in Africa’s largest economy.
Buhari won the election with 15.4 million votes to outgoing president Goodluck Jonathan’s 13.3 million, a margin wide enough to prevent any challenge.
Boko Haram has killed thousands in its push to carve out a caliphate in northeastern Nigeria.
Despite the killing of more than a dozen voters by Boko Haram gunmen – who had pledged to derail the poll – the election was one of the most orderly in Nigeria’s history.
Boko Haram
