From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed the call by Tinubu for Nigerians to close ranks, in the aftermath of the 2023 polls, as hypocritical.
Atiku, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the president-elect’s call for reconcilation was an afterthought. He stated by that it was curious that Tinubu was talking about reconcilation after APC members attacked Igbo voters in Lagos, to give an advantage to the ruling party in last Saturday’s governorship poll.
The former vice president noted that there can be no reconciliation without restitution, stating that anything short of this would not heal any wounds.
According to him, Tinubu has allegedly continued to “protect hooligans, politicians and even traditional leaders in Lagos who were seen on video threatening non-indigenes.”
He challenged the president-elect to ensure that all those culpable are arrested and prosecuted to show that he is serious about his call for reconcilation.
Atiku added that “Tinubu’s latest statement is laced with hypocrisy and lies. For a whole month, traditional leaders, transport hooligans and politicians in his camp threatened non-indigenes but Tinubu kept mute.
“His lackey, MC Oluomo, who is a member of his Presidential Campaign Council, was seen on video threatening Igbo people but Tinubu said nothing. His campaign spokesmen, Bayo Onanuga and Femi Fani-Kayode, went on social media to warn Igbo people against exercising their franchise but Tinubu looked the other way.
“Traditional rulers imposed curfews and went about slaughtering goats and placing them in front of polling units but Tinubu said nothing. On the day of election, many people who looked Igbo were beaten and prevented from voting but Tinubu kept mute. Now that his party has stolen the election, he has found his voice and is preaching reconciliation. He should tell that to the marines. If Tinubu is serious, he should ensure that all those found culpable are arrested and prosecuted. But we know he cannot do this because he is their godfather.
“Tinubu is only after power. Before he took over power, Lagos was known for its urbane and accommodating nature. The late Nnamdi Azikiwe built his political base and business empire in Lagos.
“Mbonu Ojike, born in Imo State, was deputy mayor of Lagos in 1951. Many others from around the country and beyond built businesses and political careers in Lagos unmolested. But on Bola Tinubu’s watch, Lagos has become an intolerant state where non-indigenes are openly beaten on election day and threatened with eviction if they don’t vote for his party. Now he seeks reconciliation? What a joke.”
Atiku lauded the US Embassy in Nigeria for condemning the violence meted out to the Igbo in Lagos, during the government poll. Nevertheless, he stated that the US ought to have gone further by mentioning those found culpable and exposing the identities of those it will hit with visa restrictions.
“We commend the US and the EU governments for condemning the violence and intimidation that marred the governorship election especially in Lagos where Tinubu’s henchmen held the state to ransom.
“But the US knows the identities of the perpetrators of violence and ought to have mentioned their names. MC Oluomo is an American citizen. The US must also go further by mentioning the names of others including the traditional rulers in Lagos who were complicit.”
“The US has in the past openly condemned Vladmir Putin of Russia and others found wanting in other countries. This is not the time for political correctness. Those who will be slammed with visa bans should be named and shamed.”