Lai Mohammed has warned the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar to stop overreacting, even though his decision to go to the tribunal makes sense.
He then advised that Atiku should think about what he stands to lose or gain by challenging the results of the election.
Relaying the opinion of the Federal Government, he equally stated that the fact that Aitku had resorted to self-help in his political ambition is appalling.
While speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, yesterday, Lai further criticized the emergence of new posters showing Atiku’s image, around Abuja.
He stated that the posters had “THE PUKKA, H.E. ATIKU ABUBAKAR, THE REAL AND THE RIGHT,” written on them.
Lai lamented “The appearance of these posters coincide with the media report that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has hired a US lobbying firm to convince the United States not to recognize the re-election of President Buhari until the Supreme Court has ruled on the suit by the PDP presidential candidate.
“Yes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has lost an election. But he will not be the first or the last person to lose an election, and he should realize that losing an election is not the end of the world.
“He has challenged the result of the election in court. That’s just as well. However, he should not give the impression that he does not have confidence in the judicial process, which his resorting to self-help implies.
“He should stop overheating the polity and quit trying to instigate a political crisis in Nigeria. No citizen, no matter how highly placed, is above the laws of the land. Enough is enough.”
Speaking on the questions that have been raised after Atiku was said to have sought the assistance of lobbyists from the United States, Lai Mohammed queried, “Is he starting a fresh campaign after the elections have been won and lost? Has he rescinded his decision to challenge the results of the presidential election in court, perhaps after realizing that the results he claimed to have obtained from the INEC server are cooked? Is he now going for self-help? What really is Atiku’s motive?
“We are aware of media reports that the PDP presidential candidate on Wednesday distanced himself from the posters that are circulating in Abuja. He also reportedly denied hiring the US lobbyists, claiming tongue-in-cheek that the APC fabricated the report.
“If the media reports are right, it means that the former Vice-President has suddenly realized the grave implication of his actions, hence has decided to beat a quick retreat before it is too late.
“As a self-avowed Democrat, he should realize that the only lawful channel for challenging the result of an election is through the courts. Resorting to self-help, as he seems to be doing now, is an act of desperation and the consequences are dire.
“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has the right to do whatever is lawful to challenge the outcome of that election. But he cannot get through the back door what he couldn’t get through the front door. That will be a pipe dream.”
The Minister of Information subsequently commented that he believed that Atiku was aiming to have a repeat of what happened in Venezuela in Nigeria but he should also note that the two countries are not the same.
Lai iterated, “There is no doubt that the PDP presidential candidate, out of desperation, is thinking of replicating the Venezuelan model right here in Nigeria. But he should realize that Nigeria is not Venezuela and that the situations in both countries are not the same.
“President Muhammadu Buhari won the February 23, 2019, presidential election fair and square, with a margin of 3,928,869 million votes. The election’s credibility was attested to by local and foreign observers.”
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