Members of the People’s Democratic Party besieged the headquarters of the INEC to protest the outcome of the presidential election. The party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, claim to have won the presidential election.
The electoral commission declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, the winner of the election after scoring a total of 8, 794, 726 votes. However, the PDP and LP candidates have denounced the result and vowed to challenge it in court.
Atiku led a protest march attended by the party’s national leader Yyolkia Ayu, Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambowal, Taraba state counterpart Darius Ishaku and other chieftains. They boldly rejected the declaration of the former Lagos State governor as the president-elect. Furthermore, they promised to continue the protests indefinitely.
Former national leader of the PDP, Uche Secondus, also took part in the demonstration. Senator Dino Melaye, former Governor of Imo State Emeka Ihediaha and former Governor of Adamawa State Boni Haruna.
Speaking to journalists in front of INEC headquarters, Atiku promised the protests would continue.
He said
“All the provisions of the current electoral law have been completely contravened. We were protesting and then INEC was not listening and went on to announce the result. That is why we are protesting. We have the right to protest and it will continue for a very long time, either every day or any other day. We have the right to protest under the constitution, and it doesn’t stop us from going to the court.’’
The PDP in a protest letter warned INEC against messing up the coming governorship and state houses of assembly elections.
The letter was received on behalf of the INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, by the National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye.
The PDP National Chairman, Ayu, stated “We call on your commission to suspend the ongoing transmission of the polling units results to your servers which is in complete breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. We reject and declare as unacceptable the outcome, announcement and declaration of the presidential election results.
“We want to warn your commission against a repeat of the experiences of the February 25 election in the coming governorship and state assembly elections of March 11, 2023. Any attempt to manipulate the electoral process will be vehemently resisted.
“We demand an explanation why you proceeded with the declaration of the election results marred by irregularities against all calls to address the complaints brought to your attention before and during the collation process.’’
While condemning the alleged absurdity that characterised the presidential election, Ayu said Nigeria should be seen as a country governed by the rule of law, pointing out that it was a responsibility that the party owed the citizens.
He called on all Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to stand firmly in defence of their rights. Subsequently, he asked that they defend their votes and and take back their “stolen mandate’’.
The party further stated;
“We call on all Nigerians to be co-partners in defence of our democracy, votes, the rule of law and their rights to freely choose the candidates of their choice.’’
cc: Punch Ng
