The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has ignored calls to accept the presidential election result in good faith and instead ramp up attack on its credibility saying, in spite of the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of Saturday’s election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hope is not lost, as he heads to court to reclaim the mandate given to him by the Nigerian people.
“Let me say that I am not speaking as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I am speaking as a Nigerian when I say that the electoral fraud perpetrated by the Buhari administration this past Saturday cannot produce a government of the people for the simple reason that it does not reflect the will of the Nigerian people. It is for this reason that I, Atiku Abubakar, reject the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission declaring Muhammadu Buhari as duly returned by the majority of lawful votes. I am conferring with not just my party, but also with the Nigerian people, on next steps, which will be revealed to the public shortly.”
At a press conference in Abuja Wednesday, Atiku repeated his earlier critique about the outcome of the poll that gave resounding victory to President Buhari which he indicated was a “statistical impossibility.” Atiku was adamant that he was not just rejecting the results announced by INEC because he was a candidate, but as a Nigerian, and he would pursue the legal option to seek redress, but said he would consult with his party and his supporters on the next line of action.
“For my fellow Nigerians who feel angry, disillusion and let down by the process, I appeal to you to remain calm and steadfast, Rome was not built in a day. “We have the real figures; we have the facts that have spoken so loudly on Saturday, February 23, 2019. As I have always said, this year is my three decades in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy, and this is the worst election in those 30 years. “I told Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar two nights ago when he called me that not even the military conducted such a worst election,” Atiku said in a statement.
This comes as what is believed to be the authentic results from last Saturday’s presidential elections went viral on social media. It is not clear whether the results were released by the PDP to counter what the party claims were fake results released by INEC; on the basis of which the electoral umpire declared President Buhari as the winner of last Saturday’s poll. According to the results, said to have been collated from polling stations by local observers, the APC candidate, Buhari obtained 12, 275, 296 votes in the presidential election as against 14,442,550 votes polled by the PDP candidate, Atiku.
The PDP candidate noted in his statement that: “Democracy is a government of the people by the people, only when the people’s choice prevails. That did not happen on Saturday, February 23, 2019. On Election Day, we saw the implementation of grand theft of the people’s will. I am not one for hyperbole so I will just let the facts speak for themselves. In Akwa Ibom for instance, the results showed a statistical impossibility of a 62% drop in voter numbers from the 2015 elections even where voter registration and PVC collection rates were much higher than in 2015. This pattern was repeated in strongholds of the Peoples Democratic Party, including in Delta, Rivers, Abia and Benue states.
“As this was occurring, we saw another statistical impossibility wherein voter turnout and numbers increased astronomically in Borno State by an almost miraculous 82% in the midst of increased insecurity. This pattern was also repeated in other strongholds of the All Progressive Congress.
“One begins to ask if insecurity is conducive to higher voter turnouts and security is antithetical to high voter turnout. It is further curious that the Peoples Democratic Party’s margin of victory in states outside the Southeast and South-south were extremely slim across board. That again is a statistical impossibility. The fact is that when you calmly look at the numbers declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission as results of the February 23, 2019 elections, they do not add up,” the statement read in part.
The PDP claims to have evidence from the smart card reader accreditation data that prove the results announced by INEC, declaring Buhari as winner of the presidential elections were manipulated. Citing the case of Yobe, where 775, 449 votes submitted as cast was more than the 601, 056 of accredited voters, the PDP argued that this was a clear case of over-voting which, by the provisions of the Electoral Act, renders the election null and void. In such instance, the law provides for another election.
“The PDP disclosed that in Zamfara, no actual voting took place and there was no single result sheet in any polling unit in the entire state. Rather, police arrested an APC member in Shinkafi LGA thump-printing ballot papers inside his house. Results from the presiding officer from Zamfara were concocted and allocated according to the wishes of the leadership of the APC and INEC. The PDP is demanding the outright deletion of the results from Zamfara from INEC records.
“Also in Borno state, there was no election but a figure writing exercise and allocation of results according to the whims and caprices of the APC leaders. We also demand the outright deletion of the results from Borno from INEC records and a conduct of free, fair and credible Presidential election in Borno state. In Nasarawa, the PDP demands the immediate restoration of our over 157, 000 lawful and valid votes which were unlawfully and arbitrarily cancelled by INEC and the announcement of the actual results from the field. Similarly, the PDP demands an immediate restoration of our over 79, 000 valid votes which were unlawfully cancelled by INEC in Kogi state and the announcement of the authentic results inclusive of the restored 79,000 votes
“In the FCT, the PDP demands the restoration of 27,000 valid votes unlawfully and arbitrarily cancelled by INEC and a declaration of the authentic result, inclusive of our restored 27,000 votes. In Plateau, the PDP demands the immediate restoration of our over 30,000 lawful and valid votes, which were unlawfully cancelled particularly in Jos North and the declaration of the genuine results as delivered at the polling units inclusive of our 30,000 restored votes.
“The PDP therefore calls on Nigerians to disregard the results until INEC provides the data from the smart card reader accreditation at the polling units; conducts fresh election in Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states as well as restore our votes in Plateau, FCT, Kogi and Nasarawa states.
“The PDP maintains that from the actual votes delivered at the polling units, which we all have, Nigerians clearly and unequivocally gave their mandate to Atiku Abubakar. For my fellow Nigerians who feel angry, disillusioned, and let down by the process, I appeal to you to remain calm and steadfast. Rome was not built in a day. We have the real figures; we have the facts that were spoken so loudly on Saturday, February 23, 2019. This is a long journey, but I am confident of victory. All hope is not lost. Stay strong, by the grace of God we shall triumph.
“And to investors and friends of Nigeria now pulling out of Nigeria, I urge you to be patient and keep faith with the Nigerian people. Your quarrel is not with the Nigerian people. Your quarrel is with those who stole their mandate. Please do not punish the people by divesting from Nigeria. Thank you all and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement concluded. (See alternate results below)
