Politics

I’ll Ensure Orderly Handover Of Power To Tinubu – Buhari

Published

1 year ago

March 1, 2023

Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Daura, Katsina State, felicitated with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, for emerging the winner of the February 25 Presidential Elections.

Buhari said he will now work closely with Mr Tinubu’s team to ensure an “orderly handover of power.”

In a statement signed early Wednesday by the President’s Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari who admitted faults in the electoral process, especially in the electronic transmission of results, said it does not dent the freeness and fairness of the elections.

Therefore, he urged aggrieved parties to take their complaints “to the courts, not to the streets.”

The statement is titled ‘President Buhari congratulates the winner of the presidential election, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’.

The PUNCH reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission, early Wednesday, declared Mr Tinubu as the winner of the presidential elections; 72 hours after the collation of results began.

Tinubu who polled 8,794,726 winning in 12 states, lead the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar, who scored 6,984,520 votes, Labour Party’s Peter Obi who polled 6,101,533, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, who garnered 1,496,687 votes.

Reacting to the results Buhari said “I congratulate His Excellency Bola Tinubu on his victory.

“Elected by the people, he is the best person for the job. I shall now work with him and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power.

“The election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise. In a region that has undergone backsliding and military coups in recent years, this election demonstrates democracy’s continued relevance and capability to deliver for the people it serves.”

The President said Saturday’s election results reveal a ripening democracy in Nigeria.

According to him, “Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle. In the presidential elections, states in all regions across the nation changed colour.

“Some of you may have noticed my home state amongst them. The winning candidate did not carry his own home state either.

“That happens during a competitive election. Votes and those that cast them cannot be taken for granted. Each must be earned. Competition is good for our democracy. There is no doubt the people’s decision has been rendered in the results we look at today.”

However, Buhari admitted faults in the electoral process.

Citing INEC’s failure to transmit the results electronically, Buhari argued that the gaffe does not mar the freeness and fairness of the elections.

The PUNCH reports that long before the national collation exercise was concluded in Abuja, the PDP and LP, on Monday, rejected the results, alleging irregularities.

Both parties called for the cancellation of the election and also asked the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to step down over claims that the election was rigged in the APC’s favour.

However, Buhari disagrees.

He said, “That is not to say the exercise was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with the electronic transmission of the results.

“Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure. However, none of the issues registered represents a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.

“I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine. If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence.

“If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.”

He said taking to the streets is not in the interest of the people, but will inflame Nigerian and put them in harm’s way “all for personal, selfish gains.”

Buhari urged the candidates to remember their agreement at the peace accord signed days to the election.

“It is now time to come together and act responsibly. I call on all candidates to remember the peace pledge they signed just days before the election.

“Do not undermine the credibility of INEC. Let us now move forward as one. The people have spoken,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Daura, the President played host to guests who thronged his private residence to celebrate the APC’s victory.

A statement signed by the President’s spokesman, Shehu, revealed that Katsina state Governor, Aminu Masari and the Emir of Daura, Dr Umar Umar, led members of their cabinets on separate visits.

He thanked the electorate for their massive support for the APC in the Presidential and the National Assembly elections, asking them to further mobilise for the upcoming governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.
PUNCH

Related Topics:##NigeriaElections2023 Buhari Presidential election

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Politics

Why Tinubu Didn’t Intervene In Ganduje’s Troubles – APC Leaders

Published

8 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

Following weeks of aborted moves and protests to remove the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, concerned chieftains of the party have explained the reason President Bola Tinubu steered clear of the drama.

The embattled chairman was purportedly suspended by the APC executive of Ganduje ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government of Kano State on April 15, a move that was quickly thwarted by the state chapters of the party, which suspended the ward executive.

The development resulted in legal tussles with the Kano State High Court granting an ex parte order restraining him from parading himself as a member of the party, leading to Ganduje securing a counter ex parte order from the Federal High Court in Kano presided over by Justice A. M. Liman, who ruled out the purported suspension.

A few days after the legal fireworks, scores of demonstrators stormed the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja to demand his resignation and allow the seat of the leadership, previously occupied by Abdullahi Adamu, to return to the North Central.

However, supporters of the APC national chairman have expressed shock over the deafening silence of the president, who political observers believed was his ally and close friend.

Reacting in an interview with our correspondent, the APC Publicity Secretary for North-West, Musa Mada, pointed out that there was nothing suspicious about President Tinubu’s silence.

He said, “The whole thing (Ganduje’s purported suspension) is just speculation. If we look at it from 1999 to date, no president has proven to be more of a party man than Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“His silence does not mean that he is not interested in the party. But he understands that the entire hullabaloo is more of a party affair. One thing people should know is that the moment you find a party so quiet, that party is insignificant.

“But where you find people agitating or fomenting trouble at a party, they are striving to get attention or seek some form of recognition. Tinubu is now the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, even though he is still a card-carrying member and leader of the APC. It is not everything he must react to because he doesn’t have the time. He has more important things to do.”

The APC chief also slammed the National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso for allowing his feud with the embattled chairman to degenerate into political blackmail and backbiting among Kano party faithful.

Mada claimed that he was aware that the only thing standing between Kwankwaso and his alleged desire to defect to the ruling APC was the presence of Ganduje as the leader of the party.

“Those fomenting trouble in Kano are of two factions. There are those of the APC extraction and others from the camp of Kwankwaso. If you have been following what is happening in the so-called Ganduje’s Ward, even we in the North know it was the handiwork of Kwankwaso in Kano.

“They are using that avenue to create propaganda. I believe Kwankwaso, as a statesman, should have done better because both of them have been together for about 40 years.”

But another APC chieftain, Sylvester Monidafe, did not share his sentiment.

He stated, “My concern is not about Ganduje himself, but the party and Tinubu’s legacy. I have known Tinubu since 2006 in the ACN days when I returned to active politics.

“We all saw how he stood up to President Olusegun Obasanjo when he tried to undermine the South West states. Basically all the governors except Tinubu fell for his tricks. He stood up to the man and said ‘No way’ before he formed the AD.

“I have been with this man for that long. We used to call him ‘the last man standing.’ He is politically astute and I don’t think he will allow Ganduje or anybody to soil his name.

“On the talks that the president may be attempting to throw him under the bus for Kwankwaso, I have no idea. But I know Tinubu would like to do the right thing. You may want to ask what the right thing is.”

Politics

Edo Labour Party Suspends Youth Leader

Published

20 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Leadership of the Edo State chapter of Labour Party says it has suspended Youth Leader of the party, Ken Omusi, over an alleged invasion of the party secretariat in Benin City on Thursday.

Omosi, alongside other youths were said to have invaded the party secretariat, sacked the the Kelly Ogbaloi-led State Working Committee and declared himself (Omosi) as the acting chairman of the party.

He further claimed that over the last three months, not less than 350 members had been suspended on the WhatsApp platform of the party by the state chairman without the backing of the party.

While announcing the dissolution of the executives of the party, Omusi called on the national leadership of the party in Abuja to ratify their actions and resolutions.

But addressing newsmen in Benin, chairman of the party, Ogbaloi, while condemning the invasion by the Youth Leader, noted that Omusi has since been suspended for anti-party activities.

Ogbaloi added that the State Working Committee, in the spirit of brotherhood ahead of the governorship election, has lifted the suspension earlier slammed on some members.

According to him, a reconciliation committee would be set up by the state executive to make peace with any of the aggrieved members before the election.

He, however, appealed to members of the party to leverage on the forthcoming new voter registration exercise to expand the voters base as well as ensure broader participation in the electoral process.

“A robust membership drive shall be launched to attract new members and reconcile with the disenchanted individuals who have legitimate grievances”, he added.

He equally urged all members of the party, as well eligible voters in the state, to rally behind the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Barrister Olumide Akpata and his running mate, Prince Yusuf Asamah Kadiri, in the election

Politics

Rivers Crisis: Why Gov Fubura Got Into ‘Trouble’ – Secondus

Published

22 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has said Rivers State Governor, Similaye Fubura, was being haunded by his political opponents for daring to prevent the looting of the state.

He explained that the political crisis in the state was orchestrated by those who demand unfettered access to the finances of the state a demand the governor has refused to accept.

Secondus who spoke in Abuja, on Saturday, also accused the immediate past Governor of the state and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of being the brain behind Fubura’s political troubles.

He explained that Wike’s conduct, utterances and unrelenting fued with the governor, has cast the state in bad light.

Secondus said, “Wike has been Governor for eight years and is now Minister of the FCT. As Minister, what, has he (Wike) attracted in terms of Federal projects to our dear State since he assumed office? Perhaps misery, grief, and anguish. As Governor he had supervised the exit of investors from the state due to his draconian policies.

“He had on an occasion mentioned that he is capable of causing crisis and he is not far from the truth, as he is causing an unfathomable crisis in Rivers State.

“Mrs Patience Jonathan and I worked for his emergence as governor, have we ever breathed down his neck? Instead what we get is disrespect and insults.

“ I can attest to Dr. Odili’s performance as Governor being the State PDP chairman then. I hasten to say without any fear of contradiction that he is the best governor of Rivers State in this dispensation.

“Wike claims that our revered Dr. Odili made him but in his characteristic manner, he publicly ridiculed the Odili’s without any justification. He owes them an unreserved apology and he should do so publicly.

“These media attacks against the political leaders of Rivers State are unwarranted and diversionary.

“For the records you should account for the three hundred million dollars($300m) you collected from the NNPC for the Ogoni Oil well and the cash refund made by the Saipem oil and gas company and subsequently account for your eight-year tenure of over N4Trillion realized, mismanaged and squandered. Rather than trying to cover your inadequacies through media attacks.”

These attacks, he stressed, might dovetail into a national crisis if not properly checked.

While appealing to President Bola Tinubu to reign in the FCT minister, Secondus added, “I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prevail on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to stop overheating the Rivers State political atmosphere and allow Fubara to work. Whatever Wike thinks he is It must be stressed that Rivers people made him.”