12 Presidential Candidates Congratulate Buhari, Urge Atiku To Do Same

Why Atiku Should Not Go To Court – Presidential Candidates

Twelve presidential candidates in the recently concluded Feb. 23 presidential election have congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on his re-election.

Acting under the aegis of Forum of Presidential Candidates and Political Parties for Good Governance, the group said at a news conference in Abuja, that the victory was deserved.

Chairman of the forum, Mr Shittu Kabir, said “we are indeed not oblivious of the fact that only one candidate will emerge as president.”Now that the candidate of the APC, President Buhari has been re-elected, we have no qualms accepting his victory.

“Permit this opportunity to congratulate President Buhari on his well-deserved victory at the polls. The pattern of voting, the large turn-out and country-wide endorsement of Buhari attest to the fact that Nigerians are pleased with him, his style of leadership and performance in the last three and half years.”

Kabir, who is a member of Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), appealed to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the election, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, not to contest Buhari’s victory in court.

He advised Abubakar to put Nigeria above primordial sentiment at this crucial time by respecting the verdict of the citizens, who gave their votes to support Buhari’s re-election.

“We strongly urge Alhaji Abubakar to drop the legal option in expressing his grievances. This is consistent with the counsel of many well-meaning Nigerians, including Chief Olisa Agbakoba and General Ibrahim Babangida.

“We think he has a lot more to contribute to developing humanity and promoting peace and progress in our nation, even without holding any political office,” he said.

Naija News recalls that a number of Nigerians have urged Atiku to concede defeat and back down on his quest to challenge Buhari’s victory in court but he has since maintained that insisted that he would do that. 

The chairman called on Buhari to include everyone in his government, including those who did not vote for him.

Kabir also commended Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a credible, free and fair election, in spite of obvious lapses bothering on human error and isolated cases of thuggery and intolerance.

Twelve presidential candidates of other political parties had before the poll, endorsed Buhari.

The candidates included Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance’s Shittu Kabiru, Independent Democrats’ Edozie Madu, Danjuma Mohammed of Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy, Mamman Naptali of Allied Peoples Movement and Save Nigeria Party’s Ahmed Buhari.