By Sani Idris
A group, Concerned Northern Forum (CNF), has congratulated the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, on emerging victorious in the concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, while congratulating INEC for conducting a credible elections.
Addressing a press conference on Friday at the Arewa House in Kaduna, Spokesperson of the forum, Cmrd. Abdulsalam Kazeem, said Sen. Bola Tinubu’s victory was well-deserved, haven’t been in the country’s political space for long time.
He stressed that, as Northerners, they were pleased with his victory and pledged to work with him when he is eventually sworn in on May 29.
Kazeem explained that, the fact that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner contested with Sen. Bola Tinubu under PDP and lost, does not mean that they would join other undemocratic groups and networks to condemn and discredit one of the most credible elections in the history of the country.
“We are more concerned with the progress of Nigeria, and with Sen. Bola Tinubu, a new Nigeria is possible, we also salute the courage and integrity of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu.
“He had made history by delivering an impeccable election despite the aggressive work of saboteurs and enemies of democracy in Nigeria,”Kazeem said.
Kazeem enjoined, members of the opposition and Civil Society Organisations that have sold their souls to the opposition to note that no election is completely devoid of issues and Nigeria is an expansive and diverse country with a lot of challenges bordering on logistics and human failures.
According to him, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu has done well by maneuvering through all the hurdles and giving a worthy election, saying that he deserved commendations and not condemnation.
Kazeem noted that despite widespread fears bothering on insecurity and kidnappings and against the judgment of many analysts that the elections would not hold in many parts of the country, INEC delivered election all over the country including flashpoints of violent extremism and terrorism.
Speaking further, he said the Naira redesign and fiscal policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria came at a time when INEC had put finishing touches to its preparations.
“One needs not to be told that most of INECs activities including training and logistics are money based, still, they went ahead and surmounted the challenges without shifting the date of the elections.
“Insinuating that the just concluded elections is not free and fair is laughable because, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, Lagos state voted against Bola Tinubu and Buhari lost elections in his state.
“Similarly, about seven serving Governors lost their senatorial elections. If the elections were not free and fair then how come all the contesting political parties won in areas that were not their strongholds and even had elected representatives,” he wondered.
The Spokesperson also said that those calling for the cancellation of the election were enemies of the country and must not be given listening ear.
According to him, calling for the cancellation of an election that has been conducted in the most peaceful and orderly manner across the country was simply mischievous and a call for the abortion of democracy.
“This election is the best Nigeria ever had and cannot be compared to the 1993 or even 1999 elections. Even in developed democracies, elections are never completely without challenges.
“The American elections of 2015 that produced President Donald Trump were rumoured to be tempered with by the Russians. It was so widespread but that didn’t lead to the cancellation of the result.
“The elections conducted by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo that produced Umaru Yar’Adua were equally fraught with challenges but were not cancelled. In fact, Yar’Adua admitted the irregularities but rather worked towards electoral reforms”he said.
He called on those who lost elections to in the spirit of sportsmanship, to reach out and congratulate Sen. Bola Tinubu and pledge their loyalty to work with him for a better Nigeria.
He said that is was not the first time candidates would lose in elections, noting that President Muhammadu Buhari lost elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011 before winning the 2015 Presidential election.
He also said that Former President Jonathan lost in 2015 without calling for the cancellation of the result.
“In fact, he immediately called and congratulated the president elect. As a true democrat, Sen. Bola Tinubu in his magnanimity has reached out to Nigerians across all divides seeking their support to work together to salvage Nigeria.
Kazeem called on those who feel aggrieved to approach the law courts following the laid down procedures and lodge their case.
“Sponsoring protests and making inflammatory comments is unacceptable and a direct call for anarchy,”he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
