TheCable

Abdullahi Adamu, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) want to turn the victory of his party to ashes in the mouths of Nigerians.

On Tuesday, the opposition parties at a joint press conference demanded a fresh election and passed a vote of no confidence on Yakubu Mahmood, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Adamu said the conduct of the two political parties is “shameful” and an attempt to sabotage the country and throw it into chaos.

He said it is a pity that they have taken their losses badly.

“Their protest walk out from the collation centre was childish but clearly a calculated attempt to rubbish the elections and impugn the integrity of the electoral umpire,” Adamu said.

“Their call for the cancellation of the elections over their unproven allegations of electoral fraud must be the height of diabolical desperation.

“All patriotic citizens of this country who value peace and unity of purpose must rise with one voice to condemn these elements who want to parade themselves in the public space as the guardians of our electoral system.

“Aided by some self-appointed guardians of our nation’s conscience, they wanted to turn the victory of our party into ashes in the mouths of all Nigerians and set the country up for global opprobrium.”

Adamu said nothing in the constitution gives the PDP and LP the right to abort the will of Nigerians.

“Power belongs to the people and the people must be allowed to exercise it in the best way they choose in instituting the government of their choice,” he said.

“Our laws provide channels for the redress of electoral grievances. We urge those who feel aggrieved to avail themselves of those channels to seek redress. To set the house on fire in pursuit of a rat is not an act of courage or patriotism.

“It stands condemnable.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Bola Tinubu, APC presidential candidate, secured 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the PDP who got 6,984,520 votes and Peter Obi of the LP who polled 6,101,533 votes.