SaharaReporters had reported that Bwala congratulated and prayed for Tinubu and Shettima after they were sworn in on Monday morning as the President and Vice President of Nigeria to succeed Muhammadu Buhari.
Daniel Bwala, the spokesman of the Presidential Campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has explained why he congratulated Nigeria's new President, Bola Tinubu and the Vice President, Kashim Shettima of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on their assumption of office.
SaharaReporters had reported that Bwala congratulated and prayed for Tinubu and Shettima after they were sworn in on Monday morning as the President and Vice President of Nigeria to succeed Muhammadu Buhari.
However, there have been mixed reactions over Bwala’s congratulatory message and prayer for Tinubu and Shettima, considering that Bwala’s principal, Atiku and the PDP were challenging Tinubu’s victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
Reacting to people’s criticism of him congratulating Tinubu and Shettima, Bwala in an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday said that his action did not suggest that Tinubu won the election nor did it suggest that he was turning his back from Atiku and the PDP.
According to him, his congratulating Tinubu and Shettima stemmed from the fact that somebody by the Nigerian law had occupied the seat as the president of the federal republic of Nigeria.
He said, “I'm not surprised that it would generate mixed reactions because we are living in a free world and people have every right to express themselves and politics in Nigeria in 2023 was polarised. We have three major candidates from three ethnic colourations and backgrounds, and so, either way, somebody will have something to say for or against you.
“I remember when I was in the APC, I was attacked by members of the PDP and when I moved to PDP, APC people attacked me. Labour attacked me because they thought I was going to go to Labour and I went to PDP.
“However, it is strange to me that some key people from both sides of the divide whom with the greatest respect, I thought should be above board descend to the point where they try to question my loyalty
“First of all, my loyalty to Atiku Abubakar is 100% and everybody knows it in all camps.
“Secondly, my engagement in favour of Atiku Abubakar is way above every other person including in PDP and you people need to look at history and my Twitter engagement every single day.
“Thirdly, the case that we have in court against the APC and Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the case that I believe will turn out in our favour. I still believe in the tribunal to prove our case.
“But one thing is clear, there will be six minimum and eight months maximum when this case will finally be determined and within this period, somebody by our law has occupied the seat as the president of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“As patriots, we owe the nation the duty to preserve the constitution and respect the constituted authority.
“However, our respect for constituted authority does not in any way negative our opinion and our participation. So, for the record, my congratulating Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Shettima is not congratulations that is hinged on winning election because we maintained a position and we in court to prove it that this election was stolen and that there is a conspiracy between the government then and the institutions of the state and the APC as a party. This is a fact in my view that the majority of Nigerians hold.
“Even if the Supreme Court at the end of the day says that we have not proved our case, it will still change the opinion that I have that the election was stolen and it does not reflect the wishes of the Nigerian people, but has Bola Ahmed Tinubu been administered the oath? Yes. Is he the President? Yes. Is he the symbol of authority? Yes. Has he ever taken the oath of office as the president? No.
“So, congratulating him for taking the oath of office with the greatest respect does not in any way suggest that I have admitted that he won the election or that I'm turning my back from Atiku Abubakar.”