Atiku denies legitimising Tinubu mandate

I will

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, says he will continue to challenge the process that conferred victory on the All Progressives Congress candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He said this in a statement he signed in Abuja, on Saturday.

He described as fake a statement written in his name stating that he conferred legitimacy on the election which Tinubu was said to have won.

Atiku said, “I have been notified of a fake press release attributed to me and purportedly giving legitimacy to the widely rigged presidential election of February 25.

“The so-called press release did not emanate from me or my office, and it should be treated with repudiation, untrue, and deliberately contrived by those who illegally appropriated the mandate of the Nigerian people.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, I wish to state categorically that my lawyers still have my unflinching mandate to challenge the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

“I join other lovers of democracy in Nigeria and friends of our great country in the outright rejection of the pre-determined outcome of the February 25 election.

“I shall continue to challenge the legality of that election, alongside my party, the Peoples Democratic Party.

“The decision to challenge the sham election of February 25, the worst election in our democratic history, is not predicated on my personal interest but for the interest of Nigeria and its people.

“It is aimed at deepening democracy and ensuring that we do not confer legitimacy to an outcome of illegitimacy.

“My commitment to the democratic struggle in Nigeria is beyond an election season.”

‘You can’t be in court and on the street‘

President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has warned those plotting to stop his inauguration on May 29 to bury the thought.

He also said the efforts by some opposition parties to truncate the transition process would be resisted, adding that those trying to subvert the nation’s democracy would soon be fished out and brought to book.

Tinubu in a statement by his Director, Public Affairs and Minister of State Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo SAN, also warned the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and that of the Labour Party LP, Mr Peter Obi against taking to the streets while also pursuing their cases in court.

In the statement released on Saturday in Abuja, the Tinubu noted that those taking to the streets protesting against his mandate were fixated on having an Interim National Government.

Part of the statement read, “We have watched with great concern the condemnable activities of some persons and groups who are desirous of truncating our democracy.

“For reasons best known to them, these persons have remained embittered that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared winner of the 2023 General Elections. Repeatedly, but unfortunately, these misguided individuals have called for either the cancellation of the results or that the President-elect should not be inaugurated on the 29th of May, 2023.

“We wish to reiterate and emphasise that these positions are not in tandem with our constitutional provisions or our electoral laws. We would have taken these as mere wishful thinking, however, because of their implications for national security and public order, we have therefore considered it necessary, if not expedient, to call them to order.

“We are aware of the intentions of those engaged in these treasonable and subversive acts. We also know those involved in the many plots being contrived to undermine the transition in particular and democracy in general. They are fixated on an Interim Government. They have done it in this country before and it threw the country into avoidable crises for many years and they want to do it again. They are bent on delegitimizing the new government. Some have made treasonable insinuations and openly called for military take-over. It is for these reasons that they are desperate to incite the people against the incoming Government.

“It is perplexing to see that those contesting the results want to be in the courts and on the streets at the same time. However, if their intention is to truncate the inauguration of the President-elect and Vice-President-elect, they should immediately bury the thought. It is gratifying to note that the President has set in motion steps for the actualisation of the swearing-in ceremonies. In this regard, the Presidential Transition Council has remained focused and committed to its Terms of Reference in respect of organizing a hitch-free handover.”

The statement also noted that on many occasions after the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the election, his public speeches and utterances had centred on reconciliation, forgiveness and a greater vision for Nigeria.

It added that the President-elect knows those sponsoring violent protests against his mandate as well as their sponsors from within and outside Nigeria and that he would be working closely with the security agencies to apprehend them and bring them to book

It said, “By being declared winners, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima are legally entitled to be inaugurated into office as provided for by law and as we have practised since 1999, whilst those who feel otherwise have the right to seek legal redress in court. Why should their situation be different from what we have practised since 1999?

“Those who are dissatisfied with the declaration must conduct themselves within the ambits of the law. Nigeria is not a lawless country and should not be portrayed as such no matter the frustrations as presently being exhibited by some bad losers.

“Those who are stoking the embers of hate, division and falsehoods as well as peddling misleading narratives through some compromised media outlets should detract from such. It amounts to campaigning after elections. Hate speeches, fake news and propaganda at a time like this are needless because Nigerians have already made their choice. Those who are bent on scuttling the process will ignite the fire of destruction and run away. But they should not even start.”

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday dismissed a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking the disqualification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, his running mate.

The PDP had, in the suit filed on 28 July 2022, challenged the validity of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

The nation’s main opposition camp argued that Shettima’s nomination as the running mate of Tinubu was in breach of the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35 and 84{1)}(2)} of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), claiming that the former Governor of Borno State had double nominations.

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It claimed that as of the time Shettima was nominated as a vice presidential candidate, he had not resigned nor withdrawn his nomination as candidate for the Borno Central senatorial poll.

The party argued further that Shettima’s nomination as a vice-presidential candidate, as well as the candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial seat, contravened the law.

The PDP, in an appeal, marked: CA/ABJ/CV/108/2023, had asked the appellate court to reverse the 13 January judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja which dismissed its suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked the legal basis to have instituted the suit.

While the PDP was the appellant, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Messrs Tinubu and Shettima were respondents in the appeal.

The PDP, which sought an order disqualifying the APC, Tinubu and Shettima from contesting the presidential election scheduled for 25 February, asked the court for an order nullifying their candidacy.

It further asked the court for an order compelling INEC to remove their names from its list of nominated or sponsored candidates eligible to contest the election.

However, a three-member panel headed by Justice James Abundaga, said on Friday in an unanimous judgment, that the PDP failed to establish that it had a legal basis (locus standi) to institute the case.