May 29 handover date sacrosanct –Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has as­sured Nigerians and the international community that the Febru­ary 14 elections would hold, stressing that the May 29 handover date is sacrosanct and nothing will be done to temper with it.

He gave the assurance yesterday in a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Lagos.
Jonathan, who described the discussion with Kerry on a broad range of issues as constructive, noted that both countries have a common enemy in Boko Haram that promotes fear, division, violation of human rights, especially that of women and children, insisted that the war on terror must be won by all hands being on deck.
The President described Nigeria as a vibrant democracy and the largest trading partner of the United States in Africa, with more than $18 billion in bilateral trade, saying both countries share a mutual admiration for each other and a deep commitment to freedom, democracy and human rights.
He said: “This is why we are together engaged in a struggle against a common enemy that promotes terror, fear, division, and violates human rights, most especially of women and girls, with complete impunity. Winning the fight against Boko Haram in Nigeria and West Africa is absolutely essential to beat back the tide of religious extremism around the world.
“Our security forces have been working tirelessly and courageously to achieve this goal. I re-affirmed for Secretary Kerry that Nigeria is strongly committed to building the multinational task force to fight Boko Haram in partnership with Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission. Indeed, I called publicly for such a regional approach at the African leaders summit in Paris in May 2014 and more recently, in multi-lateral meetings.
“We are pleased that the international community is now strongly united behind this initiative and agree that its success is critical. It is equally important that the multi-national force receives the significant support that is required to address the threat through our global partners.
“The United States, more than any other country in the world, has the most experience fighting armed insurgencies. And having suffered the devastating attacks of 9/11, its people also understand the insecurity and fear that is the reality for the vast majority of peaceful, tolerant Muslims and Christians in North Eastern Nigeria.
“This is why I firmly believe that enhancing and expanding various channels of cooperation between our two countries, in the context of growing international coordination, are of the utmost importance. I discussed a number of ideas with Secretary Kerry to move such cooperation forward.
“We are grateful to the United States for standing with Nigeria and its people in our fight against Boko Haram.”