By Emma Emeozor
The Presidency yesterday gave reason why President Muhammadu Buhari has kept silent over allegations of irregularities and compromise against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the conduct of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.
It also ruled out the possibility of taking any decision that would lead to the annulment of the presidential elections as was the case of June 12, 1993.
It advised any candidate or political party that is not satisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election to approach the court for redress.
These were contained in a report by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, entitled, “At the 5th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), President Buhari drums up support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidency.”
The conference was held in Doha, Qatar.
Before the elections, Buhari had assured Nigerians and the international community that he would ensure that the elections that would be credible, free, fair and transparent. He said that the outcome would reflect the wish of the people.
Despite the assurances, the first stage of the exercise – the Presidential and National Assembly polls have generated a plethora of protests across the country, leading to litigation.
Already two main political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP and the Labour Party (LP) have dragged INEC to court challenging its declaration of the presidential candidate of the All Peoples Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu as winner.
Garba also gave reason why Buhari, while speaking to Nigerians in the Diaspora about the ongoing political transition, called for support for the incoming government of Tinubu: “So that Nigeria will continue to be the beacon of hope and prosperity in our continent and an example for other African countries to emulate.”
He revealed that Buhari resisted orchestrated attempts to poison public opinion against INEC.
He said: “In addition to other things, this trip, more than any other, speaks to the courage, political stamina and statesmanship with which the President has managed the affairs of the nation.
“In the buildup to the trip, he was faced with orchestrated attempts to poison public opinion against national institutions, particularly the presidential election and its conduct by the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as an institution, against which vile and unsubstantiated allegations were hurled.
“The clear intent of this was creating an atmosphere of fear, polarizing the public and demonizing the administration of the President. The wishful thinkers appeared to assume that the June 12, 1993 election crisis, the worst ever since the Civil War could be recreated. Those who sought to do this forgot what the president said at the palace of the Gbong-Gwon Jos, when he went to the city to inaugurate the Tinubu-Shettima campaign: “this election will not be annulled; whoever is the winner will be president.
“President Buhari not only muted himself following the cacophony, he picked up international travel: “Bola Tinubu’s election stands. If you are aggrieved, and you have the locus to do so, go to court.’’
Garba added: “President Buhari used the opportunity of the visit to speak to his guests about the recent election in Nigeria and the fact that a new President would be taking over in less than three months. He hoped that the strong relations he had built between those countries will continue to endure in the new administration.
“The highlight of the conference for Nigeria was the national address on the theme of this year’s event “From Potential to Prosperity”, a speech that observers described as strikingly activist. In it, the President criticized the current structure of the global financial system which, he said, “places an unsustainable external debt burden on the most vulnerable countries.”