Leon Usigbe – Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has announced his intention to mount a legal challenge against the conduct of the 2023 general elections, which he described as a rape of democracy.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, he said having consulted widely with party stakeholders over the conduct of the exercise, he came to the inevitable conclusion that it was grossly flawed and must be challenged.
He said: “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 were grossly flawed in every material particular, and as such must be challenged.
“This has been attested to by both local and international observers. I want to believe that this was not the legacy that President Muhammadu Buhari had promised. For President Buhari, it is not too late to make amends for the good of our country and the future generations and indeed to assure his legacy.”
He, however, indicated that he will appeal to God if he is unable to obtain a favourable judgment from the Judiciary.
The former vice president argued that despite the 2023 general election providing the nation with the greatest opportunity to reset, the dreams of Nigerians were shattered by the electoral umpire.
He stated: “The 2023 presidential election presented our nation and its people the greatest opportunity for a reset. We had everything going for us: a legal framework in the 2022 Electoral Act and the BVAS technology. The enthusiasm of Nigerians to turn out in large numbers was an added bonus.
“However, the dreams and aspirations of Nigerians who braced all the challenges to go and cast their votes on Saturday, 25th of February, 2023, were shattered by the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which failed to live up to expectations. The weekend election was neither free nor fair.
“Preliminary assessments indicate that it is the worst conducted elections since the return to democratic rule. The manipulation and fraud that attended this election were 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.”
Atiku averred that in challenging the exercise, he is not doing it for himself but to deepen democracy.
He further said: “This battle to right the wrongs of Saturday is not about me. It is a continuation of my battles to deepen democracy and for a better life for our people. It is about the future of Nigerian youths.
“I know that Nigerians, especially the youth, are traumatised by the developments, but I want to urge them to conduct themselves peacefully. As I have done over the years, I assure you that I will commit the rest of my life in ensuring that true democracy, which affirms the supremacy of your votes and your will, will take firm footing and guarantee a stable, prosperous and peaceful Nigeria. This is more so as Nigeria represents the hope of Africa and the Black World.
“It is my hope that the judiciary will redeem itself this time around and rise to society’s expectation as the last HOPE. In the end, who wins is not as important as the credibility of our elections and electoral processes.
“I call on all men and women of goodwill to join hands with us in the vanguard to defend our constitution from the brigandage of anti-democratic forces.”
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute, adding: “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.
“Your voices will be heard.”
Fielding questions from journalists, the PDP flag bearer also accused the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (PDP), Peter Obi, of running away from the PDP because he was scared of state governors who were insisting on producing, from within their ranks, the presidential candidate, the running mate of the main opposition party and chief of staff to the President.
Asked whether he regretted not working with Obi given the former Anambra State governor’s performance at the polls, the former vice president said while Obi was scared away, he decided to fight the PDP governors who he said he was able to defeat at the national convention.
He stated: “First and foremost about Labour Party, by the time Peter decided to leave PDP, and join the Labour Party, we had not really begun our primary process. So, the question of whether he was going to get a ticket or not does not arise.
“Yes, it is a fact, he took our votes from the South East and South-South. But that of course will not make him president.
“We all know that to be president in this country, you need to get votes from everywhere. So, as far as I am concerned, Peter is welcome to dialogue with PDP. We are ready to dialogue with him. So, I don’t think we will have any problem with him if he wants to dialogue with PDP and form an alliance.
“I think Peter was in a rush. When the campaign started, our PDP governors sat down and said they must produce the president among themselves, they must produce the vice president amongst them, they must produce the Chief of Staff among them. Peter got scared and he left.
“I did not get scared. I stood up against the governors.
“When we formed this PDP, some of them perhaps were in secondary school or university. So, why should I be afraid? So, I stood up and fought them.
“So, if he was there, nothing could have stopped him from becoming a running mate. Because I have a right of choosing whosoever I wanted as my running mate.
“The question of whether I will work with Peter or not or whether Peter wounded the PDP, yes, because all the votes he carried were PDP votes in the South East. That is politics anyway.”
and then