Atiku wins not Tinubu — PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday said its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar won the last Saturday election having scored the majority of lawful votes cast by Nigerians at the polling units.

The main opposition party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for declaring All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, as the winner 

Recall that NRTC had earlier reported that INEC declared Tinubu as the president-elect after polling 8,794,726 votes to win the 2023 presidential election.

ALSO READ: Tinubu emerges winner of 2023 presidential election

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced the former Lagos State Governor as the winner at the International Collation Centre in Abuja on Wednesday.

But the main opposition on Thursday said the election was marred by deliberate malpractices which includes the non-use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System and INEC’s refusal/failure to transmit directly the results from Polling Units to its Server/Website. 

The statement added that the party and its presidential candidate have commenced an action for legal redress to reclaim their victory in the 2023 presidential election.

ALSO READ: Tinubu, president-elect receives certificate of return

According to the party, its numerous supporters in Nigeria and across the world should remain calm, resilient, resolute, and steadfast in the defence of democracy and the victory of the Party in the 2023 presidential elections.

The statement read: “The PDP holds that its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar clearly won the February 25, 2023 Presidential election having evidently scored the majority of lawful votes cast by Nigerians at the Polling Units.

“Sadly, the election was marred by deliberate malpractices including the non-use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System and INEC’s refusal/failure to transmit directly the results from Polling Units to its Server/Website in flagrant violation of Section 60 (4)(b) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“This violation of the Electoral Act by INEC as attested to by political parties, voters, Nigerians of all walks of life as well as local and International Observers, paved the way for the alteration, falsification, switching of results and allocation of figures in favour of the APC.”

It added, “By refusing therefore to transmit directly the results from the Polling Units, INEC violated the Electoral Act and its Rules and Regulation, compromised the process and marred the integrity and credibility of the election results.

“The PDP, therefore, asserts that consequent upon the violation by INEC of Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and its Rules and Guidelines on the election, the results announced by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, having not been earlier transmitted directly from the Polling Units before the announcement are ultra vires, of no consequence and cannot stand.

“Consequently, our party and its presidential candidate have commenced an action for legal redress to reclaim our victory in the 2023 Presidential election.

“We appeal to our numerous supporters in Nigeria and across the world to remain calm, resilient, resolute and steadfast in the defence of democracy and the victory of our Party in the 2023 presidential elections.”