Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the February 25 presidential election, has urged Nigerians to cast votes in support of democracy ahead of the March 18, 2023 governorship and state assembly elections, saying he will recover his “mandate” and that all hope is not lost.
In a broadcast on Wednesday, Atiku advised Nigerians to avoid voter apathy in light of the electoral body’s failure to send election results electronically in accordance with the Election Act 2022’s requirements.
He stated: “Indeed, what the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did in announcing the manipulated result was a clear breach of not only the 2022 Electoral Act but also its own guidelines which the electoral commission had repeatedly claimed would uphold the standards we had seen in the Osun and Ekiti elections. The INEC Chairman further ignored calls for a review of the process in line with the amended law.
“My fellow citizens, all hope is not lost. You must never give in to apathy. I assure you that the electoral fraud perpetrated by INEC will be reversed in due course as I champion the cause to reclaim our mandate.
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“We, as citizens, must continue to show resilience in the defence of our democracy and in the exercise of our rights to vote. As the March 18 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections beckon, I urge you as patriotic citizens of our dear country to come out in your numbers to cast your votes. That is one of the ways you can use to demonstrate against the sham of an election of February 25, 2023.
“As you cast your votes peacefully this Saturday and in observance of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, be sure to do so for the candidates of the PDP, the only truly national party, for a greater and prosperous Nigeria.”
