President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated Mali’s President-elect, Ibrahim Keita, on his victory in last Sunday’s run-off presidential election in the country.

In a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Reuben Abati, the President also commended people of Mali for successfully conducting the elections and taking a major step towards the full restoration of democratic governance to their country.

The President noted that having served capably as his country’s Prime Minister for many years, Keita will assume the Malian Presidency with the requisite experience, knowledge and wisdom needed to guide the country towards a speedy return to peace, normalcy, political stability and further development.

He assured Keita of the support, assistance and cooperation of Nigeria, ECOWAS and the African Union, AU, as he prepares to take on the burden of leading Mali away from political strife and instability to national peace and progress.

Keita accepted his presidential election victory after his rival, Soumaila Cisse, conceded defeat in a run-off vote that Malians hope will bring stability and democracy to the country.

“You have done this not for yourself, not for me, but for the good of Mali. Your visit was a symbol of the new Mali,” Keita told Cisse on Malian television after Cisse paid a congratulatory visit to Keita in his Bamako home on his second round victory.

Keita won double the number of votes as Cisse in the first round of voting on July 28, and received endorsements from nearly all of the other candidates from the first round.

European and African election observers declared the elections as “credible and transparent”.

The election is relevant to helping Mali end a period of instability as it attempts to recover from a military coup last year and an Islamist insurgency that prompted France to send troops to its former colony.