The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council has raised concerns about the actions of two major opposition parties, the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). According to a statement issued in Abuja on Monday evening by APC PCC Chief Spokesman Festus Keyamo, these parties are allegedly seeking legal avenues to prevent the announcement of presidential election results, which could potentially lead Nigeria into a constitutional crisis. Keyamo expressed his worry, noting that the current situation resembles the events surrounding the June 12, 1993 election, which denied the country a leader chosen through a credible and fair electoral process.
Keyamo pointed out that the allegations of bias against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the behavior of PDP representatives who stormed out of the collation center confirmed suspicions about the opposition’s intentions. His remarks came shortly after former President Olusegun Obasanjo urged President Muhammadu Buhari to annul results that were not derived from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC server, arguing that these results do not reflect the true will of Nigerian voters.
In his statement, Keyamo claimed, “We have it on good authority that the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party have perfected plans to finally scuttle our democracy and throw the country into constitutional crises by surreptitiously obtaining ex parte court orders to stop the announcement of the Presidential Election results, which they fear have gone against them.” He likened the opposition’s recent walkout at the National Collation Center to the events of June 12, 1993, when a court injunction halted the announcement of election results, leading to national turmoil. Keyamo accused Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi of attempting to repeat this historical mistake due to their personal ambitions, noting that both candidates were absent during the struggle for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today.
Keyamo also highlighted the provisions of Section 84(15) of the Electoral Act, which prohibits injunctions that would stop elections, including the declaration of results. He emphasized that the law does not empower courts to halt the holding of primaries or general elections pending the resolution of a lawsuit. The APC PCC spokesman criticized the opposition for making unfounded claims of electoral manipulation without providing any concrete evidence, stating, “They have not pointed at one single presidential election result in any unit in the whole country where they scored a particular figure with a result sheet duly signed by their agent that was subsequently changed at a Collation Centre.” He accused the opposition of using rhetoric to sway public sentiment in anticipation of rejecting the results once they are announced by INEC.
Keyamo reiterated that the APC’s position is clear: they wish for the legal process of declaring presidential election results to proceed peacefully and orderly. He expressed confidence in Asiwaju’s victory, stating, “Asiwaju is not desperate, but is very confident of victory.” He cautioned those supporting the opposition to remember the lessons from the June 12 debacle and to consider President Buhari’s approach during his previous electoral defeats, which involved seeking legal recourse rather than resorting to underhanded tactics.
In response, Yunusa Tanko, Chief Spokesman for the Obi-Datti presidential campaign council, criticized Keyamo for failing to grasp the sentiments of Nigerian voters. He asserted that the Labour Party and the Nigerian populace have lost faith in the electoral body. “We are seeking to fight for the soul of Nigeria. This country is being midwifed and sold, and the Nigerian people will never accept this,” Tanko declared, emphasizing their readiness to challenge the situation with all necessary means. He expressed distrust in INEC, questioning its ability to accurately post results into the server and stating, “The trust has been broken. The hope of the Nigerian people has been dashed by cronies and those who have been subverting the will of the people. That cannot stand.”
Efforts to reach Dele Momodu, spokesman for the Atiku-Okowa campaign council, and Debo Ologunagba, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, were unsuccessful, as they had not responded to inquiries at the time of this report.
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