The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed to Nigerian politicians to emulate the attitude of Mr Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metuh, made the appeal in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Olisa, who congratulated President Barack Obama on his re-election, observed that the graceful conduct and swift manner Romney congratulated his opponent was a shining example of patriotism.
He added that it also showed submission to the will of the people.
“This act is one of the elements that have made America’s democracy the envy of all nations,” Metuh said.
While urging Nigerian politicians to take a cue from America, he said, “the greatest threat to the stability of our democracy is the reckless bickering that happens after elections in Nigeria.
“A lot of time and energy is decimated on frivolous legal suits and the pursuit of bitterness which affect valuable time for the delivery of electoral promises,”
Metuh also congratulated the American people on the successful conduct of the poll.
He expressed confidence in Obama‘s ability to lead America out of the current economic challenges bedevilling the whole world.
He said the PDP was particularly delighted at the conciliatory posture of Obama and his emphasis on the values that united Americans rather than the divisions that manifested during the campaign.
Metuh applauded Obama’s constant reference to patriotism and a sense of duty to America by Americans in his acceptance speech.
“This is another lesson Nigerian politicians must imbibe in the nation’s quest to build its democracy.
“Also noteworthy is the charge by the re-elected President for Americans to always uphold the philosophy of `not expecting what can be done for us but what can be done by us to move our nation forward’.
“With this election, America has once more blazed the trail in overcoming its internal stratifications for the overall benefit of their country,” Metuh said. (NAN)