- Alleges ‘Unprecedented Fraud, Manipulation’
The leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have led a protest over the outcome of the Saturday, February 25, election to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
The New Diplomat reports that the visibly enraged presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, the party’s National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, the vice presidential candidate of the party, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, were all present at the protest in Abuja.
Also, the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel; the Director General of the PCC; and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal were at the protest.
Giving reasons for the protest, the presidential candidate of the opposition party, Atiku said they oppose INEC’s declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu, as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
It would be recalled that the APC candidate polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat fellow contenders – Atiku who polled 6,984,520 votes. Labour Party’s Peter Obi had 6,101,533 votes to come third and candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso with 1,496,687 votes in the election outcome which has since been faulted by opposition parties and observers.
Lashing out during the protest, Atiku alleged that the election was the worst conducted election since the return of democratic rule in the country as he vowed to challenge the outcome of the election, stating that he believes the judiciary will do justice to the matter.
“The weekend election was neither free nor fair. Preliminary assessments indicate that it is the worst conducted elections since the return to democratic rule. The manipulation and fraud that attended this election were unprecedented in the history of our nation,” Atiku said.
