By Ben Agande

ABUJA—Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku has said that by conceding defeat even before the presidential election result was fully announced, President Goodluck Jonathan has earned for the country “a great deal of international respect and admiration”.

Addressing state House correspondents after the final meeting of the  Presidential Advisory Committee on International Relations with President Jonathan, Chief Anyaoku said Nigeria and Nigerians owe the out going president a huge debt of gratitude.

Chief Anyaoku who is the chairman of the committee said “We had an excellent Valedictory meeting. It is the last for our council, it is the last we are meeting with the outgoing President.

“We told him that our nation Nigeria owes him a huge debt of gratitude for what he has done in terms of the success of the elections and above all in terms of the gesture of picking up the telephone and congratulating the President elect even before the final results of the elections were announced. That singular act has earned our country a great deal of admiration and respect abroad.