PRESIDENT JONATHAN CONGRATULATES HUGO CHAVEZ’S SUCCESSOR ON HIS ELECTION VICTORY

President Goodluck Jonathan congratulates Venezuela's acting President, Mr. Nicholas Maduro on his victory in the elections held in the country yesterday to elect a successor to late President Hugo Chavez who passed away last month.

President Jonathan notes that Nigeria and Venezuela have traditionally enjoyed close and cordial bilateral relations.

He looks forward, therefore, to working with Mr. Maduro and his administration to further reinforce and expand existing trade, economic and developmental cooperation between both countries for the benefit of their people.

President Jonathan also expects that under Mr. Maduro's leadership, Nigeria and Venezuela will continue to work together in close collaboration to strengthen the Africa-South America Cooperation Forum as a platform for the promotion of economic and political cooperation between the two countries and continents.

As Mr. Maduro prepares to be formally sworn into office on Friday to complete the six-year term which late President Chavez would have begun in January, President Jonathan prays that God Almighty will grant him the courage, wisdom and understanding to lead the people of Venezuela forward in unity and strength to greater progress and development.

He wishes Mr. Maduro a very successful tenure.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 15, 2013
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN