Feb 23: Ohaneze, Afenifere, PANDEF, others push Atiku to court

As congratulations pour in to Aso Rock in the wake of the Feb 23 election, The Forum of Nigerian Leaders and Elders is urging the PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar defeated to bite back with every democratic means possible.

The elders believe President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory is illegitimate, going by their reviews of events leading up to the election.

Atiku is the preferred candidate of the group. They believe he has a better grasp of Nigerian’s problem—restructuring—than Buhari does.

The forum, on Sunday, released their official position on signed by  Chief E K Clark (PANDEF  leader), Chief Ayo Adebanjo (Afenifere leader), Prof Ango Abdullahi (Northern Elders Forum),  Chief John Nwodo (President General Ohanaeze, and Dr Pogu Bitrus (Middle Belt Forum).

“The Forum commends the statesmanship and commitment to the democratic process of the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Wazirin Adamawa, to exhaust the entire democratic process by challenging the results in the courts as provided for in the constitution,” the statement read in part.

According to them, Atiku decision is patriotic, responsible and ultimately the highest contribution to the democratic system.

They also noted  that the elections  revealed massive irregularities and outright abuse of the electoral laws, the rules and regulations of INEC as well as the failure of security forces to remain neutral and operate within the highest standards of their calling.

The elders also rubbished the peace accord Buhari and Atiku signed before the election.

“The Peace Accord was ridiculed by deliberate and open abuse of organs of the state, the denial of rights of many citizens to vote and blatant abuse of all the commitments made by the administration.

“The outcome of the elections were clearly premeditated in the refusal of the President to sign the Electoral Act and the orchestrated suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the CJN shortly before the composition of Electoral Tribunals.”

The Forum calls on the judiciary to uphold the highest standards of integrity and commitment to its hallowed role by doing justice to the appeals that will come before it knowing.