Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and other opposition political parties that participated in Saturday’s presidential election to stop overheating the polity with complaint of violence and irregularities.
He said no political party can bully the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by threats to do its own bidding, adding that the APC cannot be cowed to keep quiet by the antics of the opposition.
A statement by chief spokesperson of the APC presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo (SAN) on Sunday, noted: “Our attention has been drawn to some incendiary comments by spokespersons of the opposition parties, notably the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) regarding the yet-to-be-announced results of the elections that held yesterday.
“Some of them have threatened fire and brimstone if their own version of some concocted results are not announced in a bid to be the judge, jury and executioner in this elections.”
Tinubu accused PDP, LP and others of playing up some isolated incidents of violence in APC strongholds just to create tension.
He noted, however, that the governing party has “tons of videos of massive electoral malpractices like violence against non-LP supporters, forcing and guiding women and children to thumb-print ballot papers for LP and massive thumb-printing of ballot papers by both PDP and LP supporters in some parts of the country.”
He described the PDP complaint about a a newspaper headline suggesting victory for Tinubu based on early results as attempt “to rile up their supporters against the country.”
He said curiously, while condemning the newspaper, the PDP also made unfounded claims about the yet-to-be released results.
Keyamo who is director of Public Affairs of the APC campaign team and minister of State, Labour and Employment, said, “The body officially designated to reflect the voices of Nigerians is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). No Party can bully them by threats to do its own bidding. Neither will the APC be cowed into silence by this disgusting antics of the opposition parties.
“We call on the International Observers and friends of Nigeria not to be distracted, but to focus on the process as it unfolds”.
He further noted that on its part, the APC has decided to be calm and wait for the official announcement of results and pursue any grievance in a lawful manner if there is any.
“But we shall not sit back and allow such unguided comments to gain grounds in order to foist a particular narrative on our citizens and the international community.
“Recall that all parties signed the Peace Accord twice before the eyes of the world. Now is the time to abide by the terms of that accord and show love for country over and above personal ambitions.
“We have all campaigned hard and strong. The Nigerian people have listened to all of us and made their decisions. Now is the time to hear the voices of Nigerians as the results are released and not our own voices,” Keyamo added.
