ADDIS ABABA, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, on Friday welcomed the successful conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday, Faki noted that the African Union Observer Mission and other international observers concluded that the process was "largely peaceful and orderly and in conformity with Nigeria's legal framework, thus marking another important step in the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria."
The chairperson "commends the INEC for the conduct of the elections, and all the political actors and the Nigerian people for their high participation and maturity," the statement said.
Faki called on all stakeholders that were involved in Nigeria's election process "to continue in this exemplary spirit."
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria on Wednesday declared President Muhammadu Buhari's re-election at the Feb. 23 balloting.
AU's Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to Nigeria's election, soon after the election, urged all political parties and candidates in Nigeria to uphold the commitment to peaceful elections and resolution of disputes.
"In case of any grievances over the election results, political parties and candidates are also encouraged to use the legal instruments at their disposal to seek redress," the mission said in a statement on Monday.
The AU mission urged Nigerians and all stakeholders "to act responsibly in the use of social media and refrain from spreading false information on the elections."
Faki on Friday called on parties involved in the election to "avail themselves of the existing constitutional and legal frameworks, as well as other peaceful means, to resolve any challenge that may arise."
