Rigging claims: Buhari, Tinubu ask parties to seek redress in court

President Muhammadu Buhari and president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have asked parties that felt the election was marred by rigging to seek redress in court instead of resorting to violence. 

Recall that the main opposition parties during the collation of results called for the cancellation of the election as well as asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, to step down from his position over claims that the election was rigged in favour of APC. 

But reacting to the claims in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on Wednesday, Buhari said any candidates or politicians that may not agree with the result should challenge it in the courts, not on the streets. 

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The president tasked any candidate who believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, should bring forward the evidence. 

Buhari further stated that if no candidates can present the claim, then, the election was indeed the people’s will — no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. 

“If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence. If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.

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“However, to do the latter means they are not doing it in the interest of the people, but rather to inflame, to put people in harm’s way and all for personal, selfish gains.

“After a degree of polarization that necessarily accompanies any election, it is now time to come together and act responsibly. I call on all candidates to remember the peace pledge they signed just days before the election. Do not undermine the credibility of INEC. Let us now move forward as one. The people have spoken,” Buhari said.

In the same vein, the president-elect, beseeched his rivals who are not comfortable with the poll results not to resort to violence but seek redress through court.

Tinubu said political competition must now give way to political conciliation and inclusive governance, saying during the election the defeated candidates were his opponent but not an enemy. 

He said: “Political competition must now give way to political conciliation and inclusive governance. During the election, you may have been my opponent but you were never my enemy. In my heart, you are my brothers.

“Still, I know some candidates will be hard put to accept the election results. It is your right to seek legal recourse. What is neither right nor defensible is for anybody to resort to violence.

“Any challenge to the electoral outcome should be made in a court of law, and not in the streets.”

He urged his supporters to allow peace to reign and tensions to fade, saying when they run a principled, peaceful, and progressive campaign, the aftermath of our campaign must be as benign.

“Yes, there are divisions amongst us that should not exist. Many people are uncertain, angry and hurt; I reach out to every one of you. Let the better aspects of our humanity step forward at this fateful moment. Let us begin to heal and bring calm to our nation,” Tinubu said.