President Goodluck Jonathan has extended his sincere condolences to the government and people of Malawi over the death of the country's President, Bingu Wa Mutharika, a statement said.
The statement, issued by Dr. Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity ,in Abuja on Saturday, stated that Jonathan received with sadness, news of the sudden death of Mutharika.
The Malawian president died of cardiac arrest on Friday.
Jonathan expressed the sympathy and solidarity of Nigerians and Africa to Malawi people as they mourned their president.
He urged the political leadership of Malawi and its security agencies to ensure an orderly transfer of presidential powers in keeping with Malawi’s existing constitutional order ahead of the country’s next presidential elections in 2014.
Jonathan prayed for the peaceful repose of Mutharika’s soul.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mutharika visited Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Feb. 28, during which they held a closed door meeting.
The late Malawian leader was the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) from January, 2010 to January, 2011.
Mutharika as AU Chairperson admitted Jonathan to the union during his (Jonathan’s) first outing as Nigeria’s President at the 15th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments.
The summit was held in July 2010 at? Muyonyo Resort in Kampala with the theme “Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development in Africa”.?