Mr Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant on Public Communication to the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has hailed United States Senator, Jim Risch, for pointing out the fact that Nigeria’s recently concluded presidential election was marred with irregularities.
Shaibu also hailed Risch for criticising the US government over its decision to hurriedly embrace Bola Tinubu as president-elect notwithstanding damning reports from election observers.
Quoting Senator Risch he said, “The ongoing electoral process in Nigeria is widely viewed as deeply flawed by election observers and many Nigerians. It is disappointing to see the administration rush to embrace the result, while the full picture of what occurred during this electoral process is yet to be seen.
“I’ve expressed similar concerns related to other areas of our relationship with the Nigerian government. I worry this rush to judgement will undermine our ability to be an effective partner to all Nigerians, especially given their longstanding desire for democracy,” he stated.
The PUNCH reports that the Independent National Electoral Comission announced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress returned elected as the President-elect from Saturday, February 25, presidential election.
Responding in a statement on Saturday, Atiku’s special assistant stated that posterity would be kind to Senator Risch for siding with the people of Nigeria even against the US government.
Shaibu further noted, “Senator Risch had confirmed what objective observers revealed. And that is that the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria was a sham, a usurpation of the will of the people and a stain on the history of Nigeria.”
Shaibu also commended some notable media platforms in London for their strongly worded editorials, where they described in detail their opinion of the February 25 election.
Lamenting how the electoral umpire conducted the February 25, presidential election, the media aide added, “The Independent National Electoral Commission badly misfired. Voting started late in many districts, depriving millions of the right to vote. The system to upload the results from 177,000 polling stations stuttered, causing legitimate concerns of vote tampering during long delays. Violence was troubling. Party goons invaded many polling stations in what appeared to be blatant acts of intimidation.”
He also commended The PUNCH for its scathing editorial, where it described in graphic detail how thugs acting on the instruction of the APC used violence to intimidate voters in Lagos.
The PUNCH particularly stated, “In Ikate, Lagos, gunmen invaded a centre, scattered the voting materials, causing voters to flee. The soldiers nearby saved the day. There was also violence in Oshodi and Okota, compounded by the late arrival of materials in polling centres, which was reportedly instigated by a faction of the road transport union that refused to move materials. Thugs threatened those who refused to vote for the All Progressives Congress in Shitta, Surulere, Lagos.”
The media aide pointed out that Tinubu lost in Ikeja Local Government where he had voted and also lost in Bourdillon, Ikoyi, where he lives.
(Punch)
