Ex-Liberian president praises Jonathan for handing over power peacefully

Amos Sawyer, interim president of Liberia from 1990 to 1994, says former President Goodluck Jonathan set a democratic example by peacefully handing over power to his successor.

Sawyer said this at the constitutional term limits summit organised by the National Democratic Institute(NDI), which is covered by TheCable, in Naimey, Niger Republic, on Wednesday.

He said the former president is a remarkable man who did not let his ambition becloud his sense of patriotism.

“I want to thank former President Jonathan, a remarkable gentleman, for what he did for Nigeria; he did not do a second term; he showed example. He handed over powerful peacefully,” he said.

“He said his presidency is not worth the blood of a single Nigerian in the fray, I thank you very much in this respect.”

Earlier, President Youssouf Muhammadu of Niger Republic announced he would hand over power after the 2021 elections.

This will be a first for the West African nation, which has a history of sit-tight leaders.

He said his legacy will be entrenching democratic principles and institutions in the country.

“My desire is to pass on power to a democratically elected president peacefully. This will be my legacy,” he said.

The event is attended by leaders from West Africa, the diplomatic corps and the African Union.