Posted by From GODWIN TSA Abuja on
Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Action Congress (AC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has fired another salvo at the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu, with a call on him to hide his head in shame for betraying public trust by conducting the worst election in the history of the country rather than embarking on a wild goose chase to defend the conduct of the polls.
•Hide you face in shame, he says
Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Action Congress (AC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has fired another salvo at the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu, with a call on him to hide his head in shame for betraying public trust by conducting the worst election in the history of the country rather than embarking on a wild goose chase to defend the conduct of the polls.
In addition, Atiku said for Iwu to claim that 'Nigerians voted massively against" him in an election that was widely described as a farce shows the perfidy and delusion of the INEC leadership.
The former vice president was responding to the statement signed by Iwu's Chief Press Secretary, Andy Ezeani, accusing him of maliciously attacking Iwu in his response to Iwu's answers to the interrogatories.
The statement issued by Atiku Campaign Organistion in Abuja on Monday said it was dangerous and an attempt to undermine the integrity of the judicial institution for Iwu to put up a vicious media attack on the person of Atiku Abubakar over statements made in the law court.
The statement reads: 'The attention of the Atiku Campaign Organization has been drawn to a press statement published in most newspapers yesterday (Monday) titled, Atiku Should Leave Professor Maurice Iwu Alone.
'Ordinarily, we would not have dignified Iwu and his minions with a response but for the tissue of lies and deliberate inaccuracies being sold to the general public about the tragic events of April 2007.
'We cannot understand why Iwu has chosen to personalize legal arguments between a petitioner and one of the respondents in the ongoing presidential election trial.
'By putting out and causing to be published in the media a vicious attack on the person of Atiku Abubakar over statements made in the hallowed hall of our law court is an attempt by Iwu to undermine the integrity of our time-honoured judicial institution. This is dangerous. All Nigerians should condemn it. Iwu must not be allowed to whip up unnecessary sentiments and unsubstantiated charges against Atiku concerning a case in court.
'As a law abiding citizen, the former vice president and the Presidential Candidate of the Action Congress (AC) went to court to challenge the outcome of the April 21, 2007 presidential election. It is his belief as well as that of local and international observers that that election was a monumental fraud.
'Atiku has no business with Iwu beyond the fact that he presided over an election commission that proved to be anything but an impartial umpire. This is why Atiku, in his petition, asked the tribunal not only to annul the sham election but to commit the shameless and utterly discredited Iwu to jail for betraying our trust and for wasting our resources on a hollow exercise.
'No matter how hard he tries, Iwu cannot escape judgment for his crimes against Nigerians. The wheel of justice may be slow but it will surely make sure that Iwu pays for his crimes. Let him continue to delude himself that he has done such an excellent job. Nigerians know the truth, and at the fullness of time Iwu would be made to face the facts.
'The problem with Iwu is that he appears to be in a state of denial over the world-wide condemnation of the 2007 elections. The INEC chairman is not prepared to accept the verdict of the world and make correction.
'In saner societies, a man like Iwu who has so recklessly betrayed the public trust will hide his head in shame while awaiting his well-deserved punishment.
'Atiku is not desperate to be president. Atiku was not ‘rejected through the ballot by Nigerians' because there was no election on April 21, 2007. It should be remembered that all the monitors, both foreign and local, were unanimous in their condemnation of the elections as a fraud and charade, falling far below minimum requirements standards in Africa and the rest of the world.
'Soon the world will know if it is true, as Iwu has claimed, that Atiku's charges against INEC ‘have been punctured' and that Atiku ‘is losing grip of the case'. From his utterances and conduct, Iwu deserves to be pitied as a man who is thoroughly confused and mischievous.
'It is not for Iwu to lecture Atiku that ‘power comes from God'. Atiku knows and has always submitted himself to the will of Allah. It is also true as Iwu stated, ‘people are the means through which God ordains leaders in electoral democracies.' 'Unfortunately, the Iwu-led INEC criminally denied the people of Nigeria the right to freely choose their own president on April 21, 2007."