APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says that its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, clearly won the February 25, 2023 Presidential election having evidently scored the majority of lawful votes cast by Nigerians at the polling units.
A statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, on Thursday said: “Sadly, the election was marred by deliberate malpractices including the non-use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System and INEC’s refusal/failure to transmit directly the results from Polling Units to its Server/Website in flagrant violation of Section 60 (4)(b) of the Electoral Act 2022.
“This violation of the Electoral Act by INEC as attested to by political parties, voters, Nigerians of all walks of life as well as local and International Observers, paved the way for the alteration, falsification, switching of results and allocation of figures in favour of the APC.”
According to the statement, by refusing therefore to transmit directly the results from the Polling Units, INEC violated the Electoral Act and its Rules and Regulation, compromised the process and marred the integrity and credibility of the election results.
“The PDP, therefore, asserts that consequent upon the violation by INEC of Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and its Rules and Guidelines on the election, the results announced by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, having not been earlier transmitted directly from the Polling Units before the announcement are ultra vires, of no consequence and cannot stand.
“Consequently, our party and its presidential candidate have commenced an action for legal redress to reclaim our victory in the 2023 Presidential election.
“We appeal to our numerous supporters in Nigeria and across the world to remain calm, resilient, resolute and steadfast in the defence of democracy and the victory of our party in the 2023 presidential elections,” it added.
Later on Thursday in Abuja, Atiku Abubakar told a news conference that last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections were largely flawed and should be challenged.
Atiku accused INEC of shattering the dreams and aspirations of Nigerians with their conduct of the polls.
“Having consulted with leaders of our party who are seated here with me and Nigerians from different walks of life, I have come to the conclusion that the processes and outcome of the presidential and national elections on Saturday was grossly flawed by every single material and as such, must be challenged by all of us,” Atiku said.
He noted the 2023 presidential election presented Nigeria and Nigerians an opportunity for a reset, but claimed that INEC “failed woefully.”
Atiku said that the electoral umpire’s failure has been attested to by both local and international observers.
It will be recalled that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had on Wednesday declared the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the election, having polled 8794726 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of PDP garnered 6984520 votes and Peter Obi of the Labour Party got 6,101 533 votes.
Earlier on Thursday, Peter Obi of the Labour Party said that he and the party rejected the result of the presidential poll and insisted that he won the election and that he would be heading to the courts to prove that he won the election.
GIK/APA
Breaking: Opposition PDP says Atiku Abubakar won presidential poll
