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Atiku: I already Told Abdulsalami Abubakar... This Is Worst Election In Nigeria’s History

February 27, 2019

"This year makes it three decades I've been involved in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy, and this is the worst election in all those years," Atiku said.

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the just-concluded presidential election is the worst in the history of Nigeria.

Atiku said he already expressed the sentiment to Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Military Head of State who handed over to a civilian regime in 1999, adding that even the military hadn't conducted such a shambolic election.

He has also assured his supporters of victory and appealed for calm.

He disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, in whuch he spoke on the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of the election.

Atiku told his supporters that although it could take long, he is confident of victory.

"It is a long journey, but I am confident of victory. All hope is not lost. Stay strong and by the grace of God, we shall triumph,” he said.

He said in Akwa Ibom, the results showed a statistical impossibility of 62 per cent drop in the number of voters from 2015 election, even where voter registration and PVC collection rate was much higher than 2015.

His words: “You must recall that our party made this observation before the election that there were plans to implement voter operation in the opposition or PDP stronghold and voter increase in APC stronghold. This pattern was repeated in PDP strongholds, including states like Delta, Rivers, Abia and Benue.

"One begins to ask if insecurity is conducive to high voter turnout, then security is antithetical to high voter turnout. It is certainly curious that PDP’s margin of victory in states in the South-East and South-South were extremely slim across board. That again is statistical impossibility.”

He stated that the numbers declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the presidential election did not add up and was full of discrepancies, noting that “the electoral fraud perpetrated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration cannot produce a government and it does not reflect the will of Nigerians."

He continued: "My dear Nigerians, it is for this reason that I, Atiku Abubakar, reject the results declared by INEC that declared Muhammadu Buhari as duly returned by the majority of the lawful votes.

"I am conferring with not just my party, but also with Nigerian people, that which will be revealed to the Nigerian public shortly. 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.

"This year makes it three decades I've been involved in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy, and this is the worst election in all those years. And I told that to General Abdulsalami, when he called me; that not even the military has conducted such a worst election.”