Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on Nigeria’s election results:

“We must first congratulate the Nigerian people. Millions turned out – in a largely peaceful way – to cast ballots, disregarding Boko Haram’s threats to disrupt these elections. Now, voters must respect the outcome. Disputes should be handled in the courtroom, not in the streets. President Goodluck Jonathan demonstrated true leadership in conceding to Mr. Buhari. President Jonathan must now ensure that his loyalists follow his lead and step away from power peacefully, forever distinguishing himself and this transition in Nigeria’s history. President-elect Buhari made some bold commitments during his campaign, including to root out Nigeria’s rampant corruption. He should stay true to his political pledges. The Committee stands ready to work with President-elect Buhari in tackling the number of security and economic challenges facing Nigeria, particularly combating Boko Haram.”

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