The Federal Government has warned the Presidential candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, of “dire consequences” over
what is considered his desperate attempt to have the results of the
Presidential elections held February 23, 2019 changed in his favor.
The Federal Government noted that the flooding of Atiku’s posters around
Abuja and recent report of his hiring of a U.S based lobby group are
indications the PDP presidential candidate is resorting to self-help
Delivering the warning in Abuja on Thursday while briefing journalists,
Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the only lawful way to
challenge election results are through the Courts.
“As you must have noticed in recent times, posters bearing the picture of
former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar, with the inscription ‘THE PUKKA, H.E. ATIKU ABUBAKAR, THE
REAL AND THE RIGHT’, have surfaced across major streets in Abuja,”
Mohammed said.
“The appearance of these posters coincide with the media reports that
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has hired a US lobbying firm to convince the United
States not to recognize the re-election of President Buhari until the
Supreme Court has ruled on the suit by the PDP presidential candidate
“The posters and the hiring of US lobbyists, the latest of such by the PDP
candidate, have triggered questions about what Alhaji Abubakar is up to.
Is he starting a fresh campaign after the elections have been won and
lost?”
Mohammed wondered if Atiku had rescinded his decision to challenge the
results of the presidential election in court, perhaps after realising
that the results he claimed to have obtained from the INEC back server are
cooked.
“Is he now going for self-help? What really is Atiku’s motive?” he asked.
“Gentlemen, we are aware of media reports that the PDP presidential
candidate on Wednesday distanced himself from the posters that are
circulating in Abuja. He also reportedly denied hiring US lobbyists,
claiming tongue-in-cheek that the APC fabricated the report.
“If the media reports are right, it means that the former Vice President
has suddenly realised the grave implication of his actions, hence has
decided to beat a quick retreat before it is too late.
“As a self-avowed democrat, he should realise that the only lawful channel
for challenging the result of an election is through the courts. Resorting
to self-help, as he seems to be doing now, is an act of desperation and
the consequences are dire.”