Shaibu criticized the Spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu for attempting to discredit the EU’s
By Johnson Atoukudu:
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant on Public Communications to the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, described the European Union Election Monitoring Group’s report on the 2023 general elections as credible. The report had concluded that the last election was marred by irregularities and failed to meet the minimum standard of credibility.
Shaibu criticized the Spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu for attempting to discredit the EU’s report. He pointed out that the lack of credibility in the last election was evident to everyone, even to the extent that “even the dead” were aware of it. He also highlighted that the Independent National Electoral Commission had not provided a satisfactory explanation for its failure to upload the full election results on its result viewing portal nearly five months after the election.
He said, “Even primary school children who did not vote know that INEC failed woefully and that Tinubu rigged the last election.
“The Presidential election held on February 25, 2023 and yet as of July 2, 2023, the result of the Presidential election has not been fully uploaded. This is despite the fact that this election was the most expensive in the history of West Africa.
“How can an election in which the full results have not been fully uploaded after nearly five months be described as credible by any sane human being?”
Shaibu characterized Alake’s assertion that the EU was an intrusive outsider attempting to discredit the election as nonsensical.
According to Shaibu, it was hypocritical of the Nigerian government to accept millions of dollars from the EU as election funds and subsequently argue that the EU had no authority to provide commentary on the election.
He said, “The EU said in September last year that it budgeted 39 million euros for Nigeria’s 2023 election. Most of the funding went to INEC as election support.
“The EU not only provided training for INEC staff but also donated equipment only for INEC to conduct a shambolic poll. So why would Alake claim that the EU has no right to speak when it was the largest single donor to INEC? Mr Alake should rather be quiet rather than try to defend the indefensible.”
Additionally, the aide to Atiku contended that the outcomes in states such as Rivers clearly indicated that the election was lacking in credibility.
He expressed his dismay that Tinubu intended to reward Former Governor Nyesom Wike with a ministerial position, despite the allegations of electoral manipulation against him. Moreover, there was a pending petition against the former Governor, which had garnered almost 300,000 votes.
Shaibu further said, “The Presidential election in Rivers State was clearly rigged as evidenced by what INEC has uploaded on IREV. So far, nearly 300,000 Nigerians have signed a petition on change.org demanding visa bans against Governor Wike.
“Tinubu is now on the verge of appointing Wike as a minister as a reward for that disgraceful election. What a shame. And this is the character who claimed to have fought for the actualisation of June 12?”
The aide of Atiku urged the United States and the United Kingdom to expedite the process of implementing visa bans on individuals involved in election rigging.
He also urged them to disclose the identities of those implicated in election manipulation, particularly employees of INEC and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
According to him, the report from the European Union Election Observation Team, similar to other reports on the 2023 Presidential Election, aligns with the facts presented by our legal team, led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, to the judges at the Presidential Elections Petitions Court. The presence of courageous and bold judges within our judiciary is a source of encouragement to us.
He also said, “We know that, very soon, those distinguished and imperial dispensers of justice in our present day judiciary shall deliver a judgment that will be pure as the driven snow and not tainted by gravies and or bullied by coercion from characters with iniquitous power.
