The editorial board of Vanguard Nigeria has conferred on former President Goodluck Jonathan the 'Personality of the Year Award' on Thursday and said Nigerians were more deserving of the recognition than him.

The multi-award winning newspaper said it singled out Goodluck Jonathan for the award because he made Nigeria join the league of nations with civilised democratic behaviour.

Vanguard also hailed him for the peaceful conclusion of the 2015 presidential election. "For the first time in the country’s history, the then incumbent President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, readily conceded victory to his challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari, an act that perplexed doomsayers at home and abroad.

"President Goodluck Jonathan’s finest hour came on that evening of March 30, 2015, when he called General Muhammadu Buhari and conceded the most closely fought presidential election in our history.

"Between March 28th when the presidential election took place and March 30th when ex-President Jonathan conceded, the entire nation was like a tense time bomb waiting to explode. But that patriotic action he took defused the tension and brought relief," the newspaper said.

Responding, Jonathan said: "I thank the editorial board of Vanguard Newspaper for honoring me as their personality of the year 2016. I believe that the people of Nigeria are more deserving of this honour than I am and thus dedicate it to my countrymen and women. May God bless Nigeria. GEJ."