A member of Security and Intelligence Committee of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Ambassador Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, has cautioned former President Olusegun Obasanjo not to use his utterances to set the country on fire.
The 2011 gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) in Lagos State stated this in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday through his media aide, Rasheed Abubakar.
Our correspondent gathered that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has alleged that there were irregularities in the just concluded presidential election.
Obasanjo in a recent letter also called for cancellation of the result of the election.
The APC chieftain has however cautioned the former president against setting the country on fire through his utterances.
Mumuni while reacting to Obasanjo’s outburst, noted that elder statesmen in Nigeria have been quiet, minding their respective businesses as usual without taking the side of any candidate in the election.
He said that he was however surprised that Obasanjo who supposed to be neutral just like other elder statesmen, has been taking side and declaring his support for a candidate.
Mumuni while speaking further advised Obasanjo not to use his utterances to thwart the electioneering process in the country the way it was done in 1993.
Mumuni, renowned international author and security expert therefore urged INEC to go ahead with the the collation and announce the winner of the election at the appropriate time, without unnecessary delay.
“It is important to note that since the unfolding of the 2023 general elections, elder statesmen in Nigeria have done their best in ensuring a free, fair and credible elections. They didn’t anoint any candidate. The remained quiet, minding their respective businesses as usual without taking the side of any candidate in the election.
“However, one of our most revered in the South, in person of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo gave his endorsement to one of the candidates, Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party before the actual day of election, even though it would have been more respectable for him to sit on the fence. Fine, that is pardonable.
“Moreso, he claimed his men intercepted some foreigners trying to make their way into the country to cast their vote. Nigerians appreciate him for contributing to the cause of a free, fair and credible election.
It is however disturbing so to say, that he becames pertubed and tries to provoke the peace of the nation because election results are not going in favour of the candidate he endorsed. He alleges the electoral body dishonesty and being corrupt.
“Having seen how much effort put into the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it is pertinent to commend the electoral body for trying to make the elections as transparent as possible.
“Although there is room for improvement and some issues almost rendered the efforts useless, still, INEC must be commended. The Commonwealth and ECOWAS have even lauded the electoral body over the the elections.
In the light of this, claims by some individuals that the electoral is corrupt are baseless, informed by some interest of theirs.
“A very good example is that of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo who has never been on good terms with the All Progressive Congress’ candidate, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu even while they were president of the federation and Governor of Lagos respectively.
“He is trying everything possible to thwart the electioneering, as an elder statesman, he could do better, but since he has chosen that part, INEC and wellmeaning Nigerians should not give him the attention he seeks. INEC should go ahead with the the collation and announce the winner irrespective.