Protesters ground INEC headquarters, warn US, UK, others against promoting insurrection in Nigeria
Several Pro-Tinubu protesters, yesterday, grounded activities at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and passed a vote of confidence in the electoral umpire.
The protesters under the auspices of The Natives, also urged the United State of America, United Kingdom and the international community not to promote insurrection in Nigeria with their utterances on the already concluded February 25 presidential election.
The group warned that its 20 million members across the country would resist any form of intimidation and threat from supporters of the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar respectively against the president-elect, Bola Tinubu.
Its Supreme Leader, Smart Edwards, who spoke during the presentation of their letter to INEC officials cautioned politicians to stop inciting Nigerians against each other and the democratic process. He said his group was at INEC to thank the commission for standing firm against intimidation, propaganda and all forms of blackmail by people he described as “bad losers.” He specifically cautioned LP vice presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti against making inflammatory statements.
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“We want to particularly warn the LP vice president candidate, Datti-Ahmed to apply caution because Nigeria is a country not his Base University. We have come to INEC to affirm that elections were conducted and APC, PDP, NNPP, LP and other political parties went into the contest. Some people have been going round the country inciting other people, calling for a taboo, Interim National Government that will never happen, not in Nigeria, not in any African country that we support.
“America is currently handling insurrection against her own state, so we are certain that America, United Kingdom and other Nations will not promote insurrection in our Nation Nigeria.
“We want to tell INEC that people have their rights to protest, whosoever they are, they are citizens with such rights, but they do not have the rights to provoke the voters. It is a taboo for anybody under any influence of alcohol or any other substance to rise up and call for Interim Government in this Nation when we still have INEC intact. Elections were conducted by Nigerians, and these Nigerians include so many young people, citizens of Nigeria and not citizens of Russia, Dubai or any other country. It was conducted peacefully, some people won, while some lost.”
EDwards said the Tinubu and Kashim Shettima’s ticket scored the highest votes to win the poll and that results from the National Assembly elections also revealed LP, PDP and other parties won.
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“Tinubu has called for healing and because he has called for healing we as Natives, people who voted for him have listened to his message. That is why we are here waving our white handkerchiefs which signifies healing. Bola Tinubu is already preparing for May 29th handing over ceremony and because we are all brothers and sisters we know and believe that we can all work together to change our country.
“As far as we are concerned, we are asking the aggrieved people to leave INEC out of their frustration. They lost election and they should be good losers, or go to court if you cannot handle it and wait for the Supreme Court. Do not intimidate the CJN, don’t intimidate the security forces and stop threatening democracy,” he warned.
Responding while receiving a prepared letter addressed to the chairman, the commission’s Director of Security, Lebari Sam Nduh, assured that INEC would continue with its constitutional roles without bias of favour.
“We want to thank you for being very responsible in your protest. We want to thank you for bearing in mind that we have no other country to call our own than this country. We want to thank you for the civil manner you have conducted yourself.
“We want to assure you, on behalf of the management of INEC that your message will be delivered to the Chairman. It is not going to pass through any other source, the Director of Security himself will personally take it and deliver it to the Chairman who is my direct boss. I assure you that INEC will continue to do its optimum best all what the law ask it to do, that Nigeria will be greater,” Nduh said.
Sun
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