“Congratulatory Message To Tinubu Amounts To Validating Banditry” – Atiku

By Ayodele Oni

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has said the statement credited to him congratulating President Bola Tinubu over Wednesday’s Court judgement, did not emanate from him.

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) pointed out  that there was no way he could have validated electoral banditry because doing so would have amounted to a rape on the conscience of Nigerians who have struggled for years to entrench electoral integrity.

He added that consent is essential to democratic mandate, adding that ruling people against their will undermines everything democracy stands for.

A statement by  his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, described it as fake news being orchestrated by those desperately looking for validation for the usurpation of the mandate of Nigerians.

“If their conscience is clear and they are convinced that their victory is valid, they don’t have to blackmail their political opponents into congratulating them through fake news.

“Why should a man be desperate for validation? Does truth require validation? Why should you issue a congratulatory statement and attribute it to Atiku if your conscience is not troubled by the electoral heist you have perpetrated.

“To confirm that the purported message is fake and pedestrian, it was addressed to the “President-elect.” Though we know it is a pyrrhic victory, is it not ridiculous to still address Bola Tinubu as “President-elect” five months after swearing-in?

“This struggle is not about Atiku; it’s about Nigeria and the future of our democracy. By allowing election riggers to get away with their misdeeds, our democracy will be in greater jeopardy.

Reacting to boast by the vice president, Kashim Shettima,  Atiku declared that he was not going into retirement and will instead continue to be part of the struggle to deepen democracy in the country.

Atiku declared that he has nothing personal against President Tinubu and owes him no ill will whatsoever.

“Let me, however, make it very clear that this struggle is about principle and justice. He is not in this struggle because he hates Tinubu. He is in it to ensure that people who rigged elections are not allowed to get away with it.

“Injustice and rigging promote bitterness and division. No leader should be proud to lead angry and aggrieved citizens.”