Afrigather 
The Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has hailed a rating member of america Senate Overseas Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, for mentioning the truth that Nigeria’s just lately concluded Presidential election was fraught with irregularities.
He additionally hailed Risch for criticising the US authorities over its determination to hurriedly embrace Bola Tinubu as president-elect regardless of damning reviews from election observers.
Senator Risch had stated, “The continuing electoral course of in Nigeria is extensively considered as deeply flawed by election observers and lots of Nigerians. It’s disappointing to see the administration rush to embrace the consequence, whereas the total image of what occurred throughout this electoral course of is but to be seen.
“I’ve expressed related issues associated to different areas of our relationship with the Nigerian authorities. I fear this rush to judgement will undermine our capability to be an efficient companion to all Nigerians, particularly given their longstanding want for democracy.”
Responding in a press release on Saturday, Atiku’s Particular Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, stated posterity can be sort to Senator Risch for siding with the folks of Nigeria even in opposition to the US authorities.
Shaibu, “Senator Risch’s title will probably be etched within the minds of Nigerians perpetually. Posterity will probably be sort to him for talking up at this important level in historical past. His motion is harking back to the late US Ambassador, Walter Carrington, who acted as an activist, insisting on the June 12 mandate from 1993 until 1997 through the repressive regime of Common Sani Abacha.
“Senator Risch has confirmed what goal observers revealed. And that’s that the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria was a sham, a usurpation of the need of the folks and a stain on the historical past of Nigeria.”
Shaibu additionally recommended the Guardian Newspaper of London, the Monetary Instances of London, and The PUNCH for his or her strongly worded editorials, the place they described intimately what actually occurred within the so-called election of 25 February.
Atiku’s aide famous that the Monetary Instances in its editorial titled, ‘Nigeria’s Badly Flawed Election Fails to Set an Instance’ dismissed the ballot for the sham that it was.
“What Nigeria wanted above all was a clear election to reiterate the fundamental message of democracy: {that a} sovereign folks can select its leaders. Sadly, it didn’t occur. The election – which seems to have delivered the Presidency to Bola Tinubu, a rich political fixer working for the incumbent All Progressives Congress – was badly managed at finest. It did not set the instance wanted for West Africa,” The Monetary Instances acknowledged.
It added, “INEC badly misfired. Voting began late in lots of districts, depriving tens of millions of the fitting to vote. The system to add the outcomes from 177,000 polling stations stuttered, inflicting reputable issues of vote tampering throughout lengthy delays. Violence was troubling. Occasion goons invaded many polling stations in what gave the impression to be blatant acts of intimidation. The Monetary Instances witnessed armed males take away a presidential poll field in Surulere, Lagos.”
He additionally recommended The PUNCH for its scathing editorial, the place it described in graphic element how thugs appearing on the instruction of the APC used violence to intimidate voters in Lagos.
Learn additionally: Ordeals in INEC’s BVAS, IReV unite Atiku, Obi
The PUNCH significantly acknowledged, “In Ikate, Lagos, gunmen invaded a centre, scattered the voting supplies, inflicting voters to flee. The troopers close by saved the day. There was additionally violence in Oshodi and Okota, compounded by the late arrival of supplies in polling centres, which was reportedly instigated by a faction of the highway transport union that refused to maneuver supplies. Thugs threatened those that refused to vote for the All Progressives Congress in Shitta, Surulere, Lagos.”
Shaibu argued that the crown that Tinubu was sporting was stained with the blood of harmless Nigerians who have been daring sufficient to withstand the APC on the day of the election.
He added, “Tinubu’s pyrrhic victory will probably be short-lived. The stolen crown balances on his head precariously. He’ll proceed to shake till he drops it. It’s humorous that Lagos was the fulcrum of Tinubu’s marketing campaign as he promised to copy the miracle of Lagos throughout Nigeria, and but the folks of Lagos rejected him on the day of election.
“Tinubu misplaced in Ikeja native authorities the place he had voted and in addition misplaced in Bourdillon, Ikoyi the place he lives. Reasonably than settle for the need of the folks, he unleashed thugs on the folks he claimed to like. Jennifer Efidi Bima was hit within the face by Tinubu’s hounds in Surulere. Her blood-stained poll paper is a testomony to the resolve of the folks as he nonetheless misplaced in Lagos regardless of the violence.
“Forward of the governorship election, Tinubu will as soon as once more relocate to Lagos, the place he’ll attempt to unleash violence on the folks so as to make sure that his puppet, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is re-elected. Nigerians should stand up in opposition to such tyranny.”
