Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has described the report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on the outcome of presidential election petition tribunal as an embarrassment and a disgraceful outing by the think tank body.
The former Vice President said the report was purchased by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to confuse the country and defend the election of February 25.
The EIU had predicted that the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election will not be overturned by the court. Atiku and Labour Party candidate Peter Obi are challenging the outcome of the election at the tribunal.
But Atiku in a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, said “Notwithstanding the preponderance of salient issues raised on the credibility of the so-called election by local and foreign observers, it is disappointing that the EIU would condescend to ballot laundering for the ruling party in the most populous Black country.
“While we wish to express our intention to apply cautious restraint in responding to the EIU on this disgraceful outing, let this be considered as a stern warning to the body to respect Nigeria’s democracy and the institution of our judiciary, and that next time, they should be more circumspect before they jump on any trade by barter jaundiced reports about Nigeria.
“However, to the APC that is going cap in hand begging for legitimacy at all impossible places, we wish to remind them of a popular local proverb that: “he who steals a drum from the palace carries the unenviable burden of where to beat it.”
“A government that goes around to buy anything at sight to award legitimacy unto itself leaves much to the imagination of the people.
“President Tinubu and his team of lawyers had all the opportunity at the court to present his case of legitimacy before the parties closed their cases at the election petition tribunal. But rather than explore that opportunity, his lawyers were busy signing counter motions on subpoenas that seek to shed more light on his personal information.
“We therefore consider it a breach of due process anything that is being done outside the walls of the court that seeks to make short circuited testimony about the outcome of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
