Politics
Don’t Go To Election Tribunal, Agbakoba Advises Atiku
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, has advised the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in last Saturday’s election, Atiku Abubakar, not to approach the court because of his loss.
Atiku lost the presidential election to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress in a keenly fought contest.
Buhari had polled 15,191,847 votes, ahead of Atiku’s 11,262,978, to be declared the winner of the election by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
However, Atiku rejected the presidential election outcome on Wednesday, saying he would challenge it in court.
He said the election was not free or fair, and that it was full of many irregularities.
But in a piece titled, ‘2019 Presidential Election: Ethnic Consideration vs Governance Consideration,’ written by Agbakoba on Wednesday, the legal practitioner advised Atiku against approaching the court, but to accept the outcome in faith.
Agbakoba said, “I understand the PDP is aggrieved at the outcome of the election and alleged massive irregularities. I urge former Vice President Atiku Abubakar not to approach the Election Petition Tribunal.
“He might have (been) moved backwards by his loss, but he should not lose sight of the legacy and greatness that lie in front of him.”
The SAN described Atiku as being in a position to take up the mantle of a statesman and build a ‘new Nigeria movement’ from the array of small parties, third force actors, change actors and millions who were desperate for a strong and united Nigeria.
“There is also a lot of work to be done in both political and electoral reforms. I request former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to step into the shoes,” he said.
Agbakoba however said he did not mean that the election was devoid of irregularities.
He said, “I can see how tempting it is to take the option of the Election Petition Tribunal. But that, in my view, is not the right decision.
“We look forward to a new Nigeria, strong and united; a new Nigeria that will not vote on the basis of ethnic and primordial sentiments.”
The SAN noted that the voting pattern of last Saturday’s presidential election showed that ethnicity played a significant role result.
He said both the APC and the PDP benefited from “primordial voting.”
“The excepted zone is the South-West, where voting occurred on the basis of issues.
“The significance and consequence of the 2019 presidential election are huge unless we are able to reverse it.
“2023 will follow the pattern of 2019 unless we do something about it,” Agbakoba said.
Collins Ezebuihe
February 27, 2019 at 7:01 pm
Igbos in particular, have NEVER voted for Mister Buhari, even on 2 separate election occasions during which he ran with separate Igbo vice presidential candidates. Therefore , Agbakoba’s assertion, that “…the voting pattern of last Saturday’s presidential election showed that ethnicity played a significant role result (and)…the excepted zone is the South-West, where voting occurred on the basis of issues,” is naive, to say the least.
To the contrary, it was a majority of the South-West and the deep North that really voted for ethnic gains. And for evidence to back my claim, many people heard and read about Mister Tinubu’s veiled threat, if the Lagos state based Igbos did not vote for his candidate; while a famous Islamic Cleric and leader cautioned his fellow Northerners not to vote for Atiku, because a “Yamiri” (a derogatory word against Igbos) happens to be his running mate. Both individuals are pivotal figures from the SW and the deep North and remain unapologetic for their vile positions.
Indeed, Igbos, the Middle Belt, and the SS voted for presidential competence and wanted a centrist president. Buhari did not and does not possess those 2 qualities –a fact even his loyal political and armed troops will privately agree with.
Clearly, the Igbos joined the “moral majority” and rejected him for the 5th time.
Moving on…
…Mister Agbakoba sees light at the end of the tunnel, if Mister Atiku would just accept a badly delayed, manipulated, and rigged presidential election and not seek legal redress.
That position taken by Agbakoab is unbecoming of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who should have total commitment to the people’s right to invest their trust to a well constituted legal system. However, his position is the kind of position a Buhari supporter or spin doctor would take –as opposed to the position of neutrality expected of an acclaimed legal luminary. Yet the SAN sees no reason, for Atiku to proceed to court to redeem the mandate handed him by the more majority of Nigerians.
And for the sake of the same posterity Agbakoba talked about…
…did he actually reflect on the damaging effect on the psyche of the voters, if Atiku threw in the towel to fraud and injustice, disappointed his same supporters, and their winning votes eventually dispossessed? Would these same disappointed and seemingly sold out voters realistically be expected to show up again to vote in 2023? I doubt it, hence the real damage to Nigeria’s Democracy.
Worse, does anyone in his/her right frame of mind truly expect Mister Buhari not to use the barrel of the gun to abolish the multi party system, abolish the National Assembly, and seek to transition himself to a life president –given his antecedents? That’s the big one, and this is the time to deal decisively with the despot, before he does more damages to the nation and its various ethnicities –some of them restive and at the tipping point to resort to arms insurrection to gain freedom.
Agbakoba would want Atiku to be championing the “…look forward to a new Nigeria, strong and united; a new Nigeria that will not vote on the basis of ethnic and primordial sentiments.” But, even if Nigeria survives looming ethnic conflicts, if Atiku fails to challenge this theft of the people’s mandate and caves in, not only will the voters condemn him as a sale-out –complicating the bubbling ethnic and religious rivalry, but who will respond to any call he makes for a post-election 2019 new Nigeria?
Mister Atik Abubakar is right to mount a legal quest for the truth, but he should also declare himself winner –based on the collated figures at the voting grounds. He should not give up –especially with Buhari likely to resort to his old ways– because a fighting Atiku would emerge stronger, more trusted, and the bonafide leader for 2023. He’s already viewd by many as the truer Nigerian than his main rival.
Collins Ezebuihe
February 27, 2019 at 6:44 pm
What an unfortunate writing by Mister Olisa Agbakoba!
Igbos in particular, have NEVER voted for Mister Buhari, even on 2 separate election occasions during which he ran with separate Igbo vice presidential candidates. Therefore , Agbakoba’s assertion, that “…the voting pattern of last Saturday’s presidential election showed that ethnicity played a significant role result (and)…the excepted zone is the South-West, where voting occurred on the basis of issues,” is naive, to say the least.
To the contrary, it was a majority of the South-West and the deep North that really voted for ethnic gains. And for evidence to back my claim, many people heard and read about Mister Tinubu’s veiled threat, if the Lagos state based Igbos did not vote for his candidate; while a famous Islamic Cleric and leader cautioned his fellow Northerners not to vote for Atiku, because a “Yamiri” (a derogatory word against Igbos) happens to be his running mate. Both individuals are pivotal figures from the SW and the deep North and remain unapologetic for their vile positions.
Indeed, Igbos, the Middle Belt, and the SS voted for presidential competence and wanted a centrist president. Buhari did not and does not possess those 2 qualities –a fact even his loyal political and armed troops will privately agree with.
Clearly, the Igbos joined the “moral majority” and rejected him for the 5th time.
Moving on…
…Mister Agbakoba sees light at the end of the tunnel, if Mister Atiku would just accept a badly delayed, manipulated, and rigged presidential election and not seek legal redress.
That position taken by Agbakoab is unbecoming of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who should have total commitment to the people’s right to invest their trust to a well constituted legal system. However, his position is the kind of position a Buhari supporter or spin doctor would take –as opposed to the position of neutrality expected of an acclaimed legal luminary. Yet the SAN sees no reason, for Atiku to proceed to court to redeem the mandate handed him by the more majority of Nigerians.
And for the sake of the same posterity Agbakoba talked about…
…did he actually reflect on the damaging effect on the psyche of the voters, if Atiku threw in the towel to fraud and injustice, disappointed his same supporters, and their winning votes eventually dispossessed? Would these same disappointed and seemingly sold out voters realistically be expected to show up again to vote in 2023? I doubt it, hence the real damage to Nigeria’s Democracy.
Worse, does anyone in his/her right frame of mind truly expect Mister Buhari not to use the barrel of the gun to abolish the multi party system, abolish the National Assembly, and seek to transition himself to a life president –given his antecedents? That’s the big one, and this is the time to deal decisively with the despot, before he does more damages to the nation and its various ethnicities –some of them restive and at the tipping point to resort to arms insurrection to gain freedom.
Agbakoba would want Atiku to be championing the “…look forward to a new Nigeria, strong and united; a new Nigeria that will not vote on the basis of ethnic and primordial sentiments.” But, Nigeria survives looming ethnic conflicts, if Atiku fails to challenge this theft of the people’s mandate and caves in, not only will the voters condemn him as a sale-out –complicating the bubbling ethnic and religious rivalry, but who will respond to any call he makes for a post-election 2019 new Nigeria?
Mister Atik Abubakar is right to mount a legal quest for the truth, but he should also declare himself winner –based on the collated figures at the voting grounds. He should not give up –especially with Buhari likely to resort to his old ways– because a fighting Atiku would emerge stronger, more trusted, and the bonafide leader for 2023. He’s already viewd by many as the truer Nigerian than his main rival.