APC hits Atiku, PDP over electoral victory claim

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lashed out yesterday at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 23 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, over his claim that he won the poll by about 1.6 million votes.

It said Atiku’s claim indicated that he may have slipped into “post-election depression and hallucination”.

APC’s National Publicity Secretary Lanre Issa-Onilu said in a statement in Abuja that Atiku’s reference to INEC’s server raised several questions that tend to confirm reports before the election that the opposition party planned to hack into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) database.

According to Issa-Onilu, Nigerians decided to pitch their tent with President Muhammadu Buhari because they saw through the plot by the PDP and its candidate to discredit the electoral process.

The statement reads: “Following the outcome of the presidential election, during which a vast majority of Nigerians reaffirmed their unshaken belief in President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to steer the affairs of the country for another four years, we have watched in disbelief and utter amusement how the opposition PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have engaged in series of circus shows to cheer up their crestfallen and disillusioned members.

”While the APC is not oblivious of the PDP’s antics to discredit the credible presidential electoral process, acknowledged by local and international observers, we sympathise with Atiku for the crushing defeat handed him by President Buhari through the votes of Nigerians.

“Judging by Atiku and PDP’s recent utterances and actions, it is now clear that they have slipped into severe depression and post-defeat hallucination that have left many Nigerians questioning their current state of mind.

“After weeks of dilly-dallying, the PDP has woken up to the stark reality of its electoral defeat and decided to follow the constitutional path of filing a petition at the election petitions tribunal.

“However, of all the prayers of Atiku before the Election Tribunal, which are at best hollow, the most ridiculous is his claim that the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicated he ‘won’ the Presidential Election by 1.6 million votes.

“A few questions would suffice: Is this phantom figure of 1.6 million votes Dubai-invented? Was the result sold to Atiku by his numerous marabouts, who we understand, had assured him that the last election was a done deal for him?

“Most importantly, we note Atiku’s consistent reference to the ‘INEC server’ as if he is the custodian of that platform. Indeed, Atiku’s constant reference to the INEC server should raise concerns as it is becoming apparent that he and the PDP are up for some dastard activities that are targeted at jeopardising the INEC database and internal storage system.

“We recall the widespread reported cases of several programmed card readers that were retrieved from some PDP agents and their failed attempt to hack the INEC database in the build-up to the then postponed presidential election.

“We remind Atiku and PDP that Nigerians saw through the devious schemes aimed at thwarting their will. Consequently, majority of the voters handed them a harsh verdict — that verdict remains sacrosanct.

“We call on the INEC and the security agencies to be on red alert to ensure that Atiku and the other desperate characters in the PDP are not able to execute their evil plans.”