Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for the 2023 presidential election, has voiced his concerns about the American government’s recent stance change, which he believes lends legitimacy to the contested February 25 presidential election in which the candidate of the ruling party, APC, Bola Tinubu was declared winner.
With several charges of rigging raising concerns about the fairness of the process, the election of February 25 has drawn heavy criticism for falling short of expectations. As promised to Nigerians and the international community, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the country’s electoral agency, did not follow its own rules, which added to the uncertainty surrounding the election.
Many were surprised by INEC’s decision to forgo uploading real-time results from the polling places, which was meant to prevent result tampering and increase electoral openness. Some people interpreted this abrupt change as a purposeful action, which raised questions about INEC’s objectivity and integrity.
The results announced by INEC should reflect the outcomes from the Integrated Result Viewing and Collation System (IReV), according to INEC standards and Festus Okoye, who spoke on live television. Despite objections, complaints, and even a request to suspend the election from the late President Olusegun Obasanjo, INEC disregarded these rules and proceeded to declare the APC candidate, Tinubu, the victor.
Due to his dual citizenship in Nigeria and Guinea, which is against the law, there are additional concerns about Tinubu’s eligibility to run for office. Further questions regarding Tinubu’s qualifications are raised by his engagement in drug-related activities and his prior prosecution for a narcotics offence in the United States in 1993.
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Along with these issues, Tinubu’s candidature is usually seen as unpopular in the run-up to the February 25 presidential election. His unpopularity has been attributed to a number of factors, including his alleged corruption, advanced age, deteriorating health, and the public’s opinion that the Buhari administration has not kept its promises to the people of Nigeria. Additionally, his choice of a Muslim running mate may have cost him support from the nation’s Christian population.
Despite these substantial obstacles, it is remarkable that Mahmood Yakubu’s INEC has imposed Tinubu on the Nigerian people, ostensibly with the assistance of President Muhammadu Buhari and proponents of an all-Muslim ticket.
Together with Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Atiku, who was also a victim of the disputed election on February 25th that the APC government manipulated, is currently challenging Tinubu’s victory in court. He expressed shock at the recent phone conversation between the US government and Tinubu, which conflicts with the US’s officially declared position on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election.
Atiku took to Twitter to convey his displeasure, stating, “I am in disbelief that @SecBlinken called Tinubu, which contradicts the publicly stated position of the US on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. This is inconceivable considering that America, as the bastion of democracy, is well briefed on the contested election of February 25th. Granting legitimacy to a widely acknowledged fraudulent election in Nigeria can undermine the confidence of citizens who have placed their trust in democracy and the integrity of the ballot @StateDept @POTUS @USinNigeria. -AA”
I am in disbelief that @SecBlinken called Tinubu, a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the US on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. This is inconceivable considering that America, as the bastion of democracy, is well briefed on the sham election of February 25.…
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) May 17, 2023
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