Political and community leaders in President Muhammadu Buhari’s native Katsina State have continued to pour into his private residence in Daura to express their happiness, following the emergence of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the country’s next president.
Receiving Governor Aminu Bello Masari and the Emir of Daura, Dr. Umar Faruk Umar, who led members of their cabinets on separate visits, President Buhari reiterated what he had often said about the President-elect that “Bola Tinubu truly believes in Nigeria and is genuinely committed to the progress and sustainable future of Nigeria.”
He thanked the electorate for their massive support for the APC in the Presidential and the National Assembly elections, asking them to further mobilize for the upcoming gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections.
President Buhari profusely thanked the people for supporting him for two terms in office, which he will complete on May 29, 2023.
The Emir said they had visited the President to congratulate him on the outcome of the elections, and commended him for preserving Nigeria as an indivisible entity.
He described the preservation of the country as historic achievements.
The Emir said he was proud of his people in Daura who did not fail the President and his party in the elections.
“APC won everywhere,” the Emir said.
On his part, Governor Masari said he felt happy that projections by pundits that Katsina would not vote for the APC turned out to be false, saying that he was proud of what was achieved.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 1, 2023
Press Release
Presidential/NA Elections:
Leave Gov Wike Out Of Your Failure – Bro Obuah
The Director General of Rivers State PDP Campaign Council, Bro Felix Obuah says the state governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike should not be blamed for the failure of any political party and the hypocrisy of a handful of desperate politicians whose hopes were scuttled by the electorate in last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
Bro Obuah said this against the backdrop of a seeming campaign of calumny against Governor Wike for allegedly interfering in the voting process in some electoral units in the State.
He described the allegation as baseless and unfounded because His Excellency having performed excellently well to the admiration of majority of Rivers people could naturally be expected to be rewarded for his commitment and selfless service to the people and that was exactly what played out during the election.
Bro Obuah noted that some unpopular politicians have formed the habit of dragging in the name of Gov. Wike in anything they do in order to draw attention and sympathy.
He recalled that it was Gov Wike who had raised alarm about the slow pace of the BIVAS machine at the point of voting. It is therefore ironical and irresponsible he noted, of anybody to come around to blame the Governor for any perceived systemic failure that was witnessed across the states and not only Rivers State.
According to the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council DG, the Rivers people are more informed and sophisticated to be deceived by such cheap propaganda and misinformation.
He challenged any person or electoral officer that claims to have been confronted by His Excellency in person or by proxy to distort the election results to own up or provide evidence to that effect.
“The best we can decipher from the results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections is that anywhere the PDP candidates won in the state, it was rigged or influenced and anywhere it lost, it was properly conducted. This is not the spirit. In a contest where two or more people are involved and one is required, there is bound to be a winner and a loser.
“Besides, it is natural justice that what goes around comes around. Check it out if our sense of history is still intact, all the individuals crying wolf now, had had their own share of rejoicing and celebrations when others were crying and bemoaning the same electoral system they benefitted from. It is very wrong to think it is only good when the outcome is in your favour, and only bad when you are at the receiving end,” Bro Obuah declared.
He therefore appealed to Rivers people and residents to remain calm while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) comes up with the rest of the results of the elections across the country, and discountenance any ill-conceived information aimed at tarnishing the image of the people’s governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike and also vote for the PDP Governorship candidate, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in the March 11, 2023 Governorship and State Assembly elections.
Pastor Jerry Needam
Secretary,
Directorate of Publicity & Communications
Rivers State PDP Campaign Council.
Tuesday, February 28, 2023.
Demand for cancellation of presidential election treasonable – Ndoma-Egba
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has condemned in strong terms the call by some opposition parties for the outright cancellation of the presidential election held on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Describing the demand for the cancellation of the election as treasonable, unpatriotic and selfish, Ndoma-Egba, an erstwhile Senate Leader and former Chairman Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), wondered why anyone would want to truncate the country’s democratic process at this crucial stage.
The national chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Iyorchis Ayu, Julius Abure and Ralf Nwosu respectively, while addressing a world Press Conference at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, said they were calling for a total cancellation of the Presidential poll and passing a vote of no confidence on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu because, in their words: “The conduct of the February 25, 2023 election has been marred by widespread violence, rigging, intimidation of voters, doctoring of the results, and violation of the laid down electoral process which was communicated by the national electoral body, INEC.”
But the legal luminary cum politician argued that “There is no provision in our laws to grant such a demand which is preposterous and selfish. It is even treasonable as they seek to truncate our democratic process and therefore destroy democracy.”
According to Ndoma-Egba, who is the Secretary of the Campaign Planning Directorate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), “Democracy is about processes not outcomes. They should allow the processes play out. There are copious legal provisions available to them to ventilate their grievances.”
Stating further that the call for the cancellation of the presidential election was needless and not in the best interest of the country, the ex-Senate Leader advised that political leaders should desist from making provocative and inciting utterances that are capable of engendering crisis or violence.
He said what should be paramount in the minds of all well-meaning Nigerians at this point in time should be how to join hands and work together with whoever emerges as the next president to build and reposition Nigeria for greatness.
Meanwhile, the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is set to be declared the winner of the election after securing a total of 8,805,420 votes upon the conclusion of the state-by-state collation of results at the National Collation Centre Abuja. Presidential flag bearer of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, scored 6,984,290 votes to place second, while the LP standard-bearer, Peter Obi, polled 6,093,962 votes to come third.
PRESS RELEASE
SANWO-OLU: WITH TINUBU’S EMERGENCE, A NEW CHAPTER IN LEADERSHIP BECKONS IN AFRICA
- Lagos Governor congratulates predecessor on presidential win
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the nation’s democracy has recorded another major victory, following the emergence of his predecessor and leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the just concluded presidential election.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a swift reaction to the announcement of presidential election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Wednesday, said Tinubu contested and won a fiercely-fought democratic battle, stressing that the victory reflected the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate’s belief in deepening democracy in the country.
The Governor said the choice offered the citizens to pick their leaders in peaceful electoral process further confirmed democracy as the only credible means of attaining power, with the people at the centre of the struggle.
Sanwo-Olu said: “Asiwaju has worked tirelessly in the past two decades to deepen democracy in Nigeria, building bridges across the length and breadth of the country. His political credentials, which are a product of his many years of genuine investment in human and national development have played critical roles in giving him the national spread and endeared him to millions of Nigerians.
“Asiwaju’s decades of political activism and democratic struggle are well understood by the people. They, in return, have built their trust in him as a true democrat and a man to work with for Nigeria to continue on the path of unity, economic growth and development.’’
Congratulating the President-elect, Sanwo-Olu said he is confident that Asiwaju Tinubu would work hard to return the country to the league of nations where economic prosperity, security and political stability are hallmarks of development.
‘‘I congratulate my leader, mentor and president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on this historic achievement. Beyond that, I am confident that you will, in no time turn around the fortunes of Nigeria for the better in all the areas for Nigeria to sit permanently among nations with stable political, economic and social development,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Tinubu, Lagos Governor added, will be leading Africa’s biggest democracy and set great example for Africans aspiring to lead countries and cities on our continent.
“I have no doubt in my mind that Tinubu’s leadership style and democratic credentials will soon become a major lesson to other African leaders, who in turn will benefit immensely as they watch Nigeria navigate her ways through the various paths to economic recovery, social and political development.
“Congratulations to Nigerians and all lovers of democracy,” Sanwo-Olu said.
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
01-03-2023
