The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Runner-up in the February 25 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Thursday condemned the outcome of the election.
He hinted that he would go to court to challenge the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner with affirmation that his lawyers are already studying the result and would advise him and the party on the next step to take.
His words: “Having consulted with leaders of our party and Nigerians from different walks of life,
I have come to the conclusion that the processes and outcome of the Presidential and
National Assembly election of last Saturday was grossly flawed in every material particular,
and as such must be challenged”
“The manipulation and fraud that attended this election was unprecedented in the history of our nation. I can still not understand why the electoral umpire was in such a hurry to conclude collation and announcement of the result, given the number of complaints of irregularities of bypassing of the BVAS, failure of uploading to the IREV, and unprecedented cancellations and disenfranchisement of millions of voters in breach of the Electoral Act and the commission’s own guidelines. It was indeed a rape of democracy”, he said.
Atiku Abubakar emphasized that the battle to right the wrongs is not about him, but a continuation of his battles to deepen democracy and for a better life for the people. “It is about the future of Nigerian youths”, he said.
Alhaji Abubakar who went philosophical appealed to the judiciary to uphold the the credibility of our elections and electoral processes.
Calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute, Alhaji Abubakar said: “You have the constitutionally guaranteed right of freedom to choose your leaders. We will not sit idly by and watch your rights taken from you”.
While commenting on why he did not fly on the same ticket with the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, the PDP candidate said: ”Peter was in a rush when governors on the ticket of PDP began to agitate to be Vice Presidential candidate and Chief of Staff. He was scared and I stood and fought them.”
The former Vice President said: ”Peter is welcome to work with PDP”.
