Dangiwa Umar, founder of the
Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP), has advised Atiku Abubakar not to
challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the election.
Atiku, candidate of the opposing
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had described the outcome of the election as
worst in the history of the country— with his party set to challenge the result
in court.
Reacting in a statement on
Thursday, Umar said no matter the outcome, Atiku should tread with caution.
“No one in good conscience ever
thought an exercise as gigantic as conducting a Presidential election in a
country as vast as Nigeria, would go without hitches and setbacks,” he said.
“And in spite of the generally
positive comments by observers, last Saturday’s exercise did not. It goes
without saying that the outcome of an imperfect exercise cannot but remain
imperfect itself – a fair illustration of the dictum; garbage in garbage out.
“In the circumstances, we are
obliged to look with sympathy at the decision by the candidate of the People’s
Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar not to concede defeat but to mount a
legal challenge against the result of the Presidential election that held on
the 23rd of February, 2019; And yet, regardless of the way he feels about it,
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has an obligation to tread cautiously, taking into
account the impact any action he or other leaders take will have on the gravely
tense political and security conditions prevailing in Nigeria today.
“As we are well aware, elections
and electioneering campaigns in Nigeria as in much of Africa, have almost
always proved to be deadly triggers for strife, apprehension, disputes and
other forms of conflict, often leading to violence and bloodshed. The longer
and the more protracted the process, the heavier the toll.
“Sadly, Nigeria has suffered
terribly from these calamities in the course of this bitterly contested
election exercise. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his party ran an admirably strong
and sophisticated campaign. He should be justly proud of his achievements. He
had established his credentials as a powerful and worthy alternative
presidential material now and in the years to come.”
He said Atiku’s decision not to
accept the outcome of the election may seriously detract from the high pedestal
that he deserves in Nigeria’s political establishment.
Umar added that he is an admirer
of Atiku, and in the interest of peace and democracy, the PDP candidate should
reconsider his decision.
He also urged Buhari to be a
leader of all and to ignore the voting pattern that brought him to power and
consider the country as one large family.
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