The Labour Party has vowed to reclaim mandate delivered to it by Nigerians in the just concluded presidential election.
Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), noted that the just concluded 2023 presidential election is an anathema to the doctrine of democracy.
The Labour Party vice presidential candidate at a press conference, maintained that the Labour Party won the just concluded election but was rigged and the party would ensure that the mandate is reclaimed.
He called on Nigerians to remain peaceful and be patient while the party seeks legal actions on the just concluded election in the country.
He said, “It is our position that the purported result did not meet the minimum criteria of a transparent, free and fair election. In addition to the most condemnable attacks, voter intimidation and suppression, the election was conducted in clear violation of agreed and promised INEC rules and guidelines,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“The Electoral Act 2002 as amended and indeed the Nigerian constitution, as evident, the institutions of the state and leaders that were supposed to ensure the sanctity of the election again and as in the past collaborated and colluded to subvert the will of the good people of Nigeria.
Datti Baba-Ahmed added, “Be assured of our determination to fight the injustice that has been perpetrated on Nigerians through all legal and peaceful means. While painful, we implore you to remain peaceful and calm as our fight and determination for a new Nigeria is just beginning.
“We equally encourage you all to continue with the campaigns and vote massively for the Labour Party in the forthcoming governorship and the state house of assembly elections on 11th March 2023.
“Our principal, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, will in due course speak to you and indeed the nation.
He added, “He is better than one could ever imagine. He is cheerful, he is hearty, he is healthy, he is strong and what is more. He and I are even believing more and more in Nigeria and the Nigerian people.
“Here we are. Our movement is less than eight months old and we won elections in the Federal Republic of Nigeria where they’ve had an eight-year concurrent government. As far as we are concerned, we won this.
“They refused to upload results, they refused to refer to IReV just for them to defeat us. It took serving government illegality and constitutional breach to defeat Peter Obi and my humble self.
“I tell you we are winners, Nigerian people are winners and the Nigerian nation is waiting for a day that Peter Obi and I will through the rigours of illegality and unconstitutionality get to power somehow one day.”
Meanwhile, the vice presidential candidate of LP, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has taken a swipe at the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, over the latter’s attempt to redefine the upper chamber’s intention on collation of election results.
Recall that Lawan on Tuesday claimed that the transmission of electoral results from polling units to INEC server was not intended by the law, as claimed in some quarters.
He defended his assertion by insisting that the Electoral Act earlier passed by the National Assembly only envisaged manual collation of results.
He further said, “The Senate President, even though I’m a former senator and believes in our integrity, this gentleman, as far as we are concerned he contested presidency and now he is a senator returned by the Supreme Court.
“And you cannot contest for two offices in the same election. And now you as Senate President and give us this kind of opinion, such an irresponsible person must never be listened to”, he said.
The LP also distanced itself from the outcome of the 2023 general elections, saying it was married with irregularities.
According to the party, the results did not meet the minimum criteria for a credible, free and fair election.
The vice presidential candidate lamented alleged collusion between those he described as “the institution of the state and leaders that were saddled with the task of conducting the election”, with some groups to subvert the will of Nigerians.
He further disclosed that the election remains invalid, illegal and unconstitutional as the results of the poll were not transmitted; insisting that the opposition party does not recognise the outcome of the exercise.
The leading opposition party, while condemning President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence over the alleged irregularities, maintained that it took “a serving government illegality and constitutional breach to defeat Obi’s mandate”.
Speaking about the party’s confidence in the judiciary to retrieve its alleged stolen mandate, he added, “We have confidence in ourselves and in our case. And we insist that elections were not held. The judiciary will have to prove its integrity.
“We will follow through every legal avenue to recover our mandate and restore the hopes of Nigerians in the country.
“As such, we ask Nigerians to continue to support the Labour Party, and to give their support to our governorship and house of Assembly candidates”.
This is as he urged for calm, stressing that “no amount of pressure would get the LP or its agents to preach against peace and tranquility in the country.”
While appreciating Nigerians for believing in Labour Party, Datti Baba-Ahmed said, “We are immensely grateful to the youths, Obidients and all support groups including Nigerians in diaspora for their sacrifices, conduct and commitment to a better Nigeria.
“It is our position that the purported result did not meet the minimum criteria of a transparent, free and fair election.
“In addition to the most condemnable attacks, violence, voter intimidation and suppression, the election was conducted in clear violation of agreed and promised INEC rules and guidelines, the Electoral Act 2002 as amended, and indeed the Nigerian constitution,” he added.
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