Tinubu decries reported infractions during guber, legislative elections

Atiku describes reconciliation call height of hypocrisy

President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has deplored the violence and other infractions reported in parts of the federation during weekend’s governorship and legislative elections.

In a statement, yesterday, which he titled, ‘Elections are over: Healing process must begin’, the Jagaban Borgu pleaded with Nigerians to bury their differences and work with him for a greater and more united country.

While congratulating those who emerged victorious at the poll, Tinubu submitted: “However, I’m saddened by the reported isolated infractions during the elections and its aftermath in some states. I strongly condemn it. Also, the report of arson after the announcement of governorship results in one state did not represent who we truly are: peace-loving people.

“The physical and verbal assaults committed are unacceptable and antithetical to democratic ethos.

“Elections should be a celebration of our maturing democracy and freedom of choice, and ought not to be moments of grief. I am particularly pained by cases of ethnic slurs, which are capable of creating needless mischaracterisation reported in some locations.

“My appeal is for us to rise above our differences, which, in reality, are fewer than the valued strings that bind us together as a people irrespective of the circumstances of our births.”

BUT presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25, 2023 poll, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, dismissed the reconciliation call as the height of hypocrisy.

He, however, commended the United States government for “condemning the violent and ethnically charged election in Lagos State.”

Abubakar, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described Tinubu’s statement as “an after-thought and hypocritical garbage.”

He said it was curious that the President-elect was talking about reconciliation after “his minions attacked Igbo voters in Lagos in order to give his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), advantage during the governorship election.”

The former Vice Preside lamented: “Tinubu had continued to protect transport hooligans, politicians and even traditional leaders in Lagos, who were seen on video threatening non-indigenes.”

He added: “Tinubu’s latest statement is laced with hypocrisy and lies. For a whole month, traditional leaders, transport hooligans and politicians in his camp threatened non-indigenes, but he kept mute. His lackey, MC Oluomo, who is a member of his Presidential Campaign Council, was seen on video threatening Igbo people, but Tinubu said nothing. His campaign spokesmen, Bayo Onanuga and Femi Fani-Kayode, went on social media to warn Igbo people against exercising their franchise, but Tinubu looked the other way.”