In response to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recent press conference, the All Progressives Congress (APC) issued a statement criticizing his refusal to accept the Supreme Court verdict affirming President Bola Tinubu’s election victory. Atiku had accused President Tinubu of forging his academic certificate and insisted that Tinubu was not qualified to contest the February 2023 presidential election.
The APC, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, expressed its dismay at Atiku’s refusal to accept the popular choice of the electorate and the valid decisions of the courts. The ruling party questioned why Atiku failed to congratulate President Tinubu on his electoral victory and suggested that history would remember Atiku’s unwillingness to put the country’s interests above his personal political ambitions.
“In his foggy and contemptuous perspective, the Supreme Court implies by its judgment that crime is good and should be rewarded.” Atiku regurgitated his illusory claim that President Bola Tinubu did not win the February 25, 2023 presidential election. Rather, he soliloquized that they showed irrefutable evidence of gross irregularities, violence and manipulations during the elections, allegations that were roundly dismissed by the Presidential Election Petitions Court and the Supreme Court as unsubstantiated and unproven. Strikingly, nowhere in his long epistle of a press statement did Atiku state that he won the election, corroborating the courts’ finding and decision that he did not, in fact, win the election.
“It is delusional for Atiku, and his degenerate PDP, to have expected the courts to rely on their bogus, flimsy, unverifiable, uncorroborated, illogical and hearsay evidence to upturn an election that was conducted in substantial compliance with the Constitution and electoral laws of our land. Thankfully, it does not lie in Atiku’s mouth to declare what constitutes “incontrovertible evidence”. That is the constitutional duty of the courts and which they have discharged honorably and creditably.
The statement highlighted Atiku’s allegations of irregularities, violence, and manipulation during the elections, which had been dismissed by the Presidential Election Petitions Court and the Supreme Court as unsubstantiated and unproven. Notably, Atiku did not claim that he had won the election in his press conference.
“For a serial election loser whose life ambition is to rule the country, we understand how pained and utterly distraught Atiku must be. However, to continue to deny and disrespect the collective will of Nigerians, disparage the judiciary, incite rage and call our democratic institutions into question is beyond the pale.
“Why is it so hard for Atiku to accept the popular choice of the electorate and the valid decisions of the courts? How is it that a man of his stature can be so befuddled to this disturbing level of election and judicial denialism? Would Atiku vilify the judiciary as he is doing had he won the election and upheld by the courts as winner?
“Atiku, you are right that this is not and cannot be all about you. Yes, it is about our country Nigeria. Nigeria is greater than your unrealized ambition to be president. Nigeria must move and has moved on.
The APC further criticized Atiku’s disregard for the judiciary and his attempts to call into question the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. They urged Atiku to acknowledge that Nigeria is greater than any individual’s ambition and that the country has moved forward.
“Regrettably, you missed the opportunity of your press conference to redeem your prestige as an elder and statesman by rising above political pettiness and offer befitting congratulations to President Tinubu on his electoral victory. Rather than vindicate you, history will not forget your unwillingness to put the country first and above your personal political ambition.”
The APC statement concluded by pointing out that Atiku missed an opportunity during his press conference to display statesmanship and offer congratulations to President Tinubu on his electoral victory.
