The United States (US) has assured Nigerians and the federal government that it is not supporting any candidate or political party in Saturday’s presidential election and the subsequent polls.
Through its Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, Washington yesterday described as baseless, the allegations of partisanship levelled against it by the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO).
On Monday, BCO spokesman, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), had said that the statements of Symington and those of other countries indicated tacit support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Keyamo, who doubles as director, Strategic Communications of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, in the statement he issued on Monday, cautioned the US government and other Western countries to refrain from what he termed “unguarded statements” on Nigeria’s fast approaching general elections.
In a reaction yesterday, the US Embassy said that it was neutral and urged Nigerians to be wary of fake news and rumours as the elections draw closer.
The US statement reads in part: “The United States Embassy in Nigeria wishes to reiterate, unequivocally, that we are not taking sides in Nigeria’s election.
“We do not support any party or candidate. We support a level playing field and the democratic process. That is the bedrock principle of our government’s advocacy on democratic elections. In the final run-up to the February 16 vote, fake news and rumours are operating in overdrive. But it must be repeated: we are not taking sides.”
The embassy reminded Nigerians that the US provided $1billion in aid to Nigeria and directly helps at least two million of the country’s citizens.
The statement continued: “The United States is Nigeria’s long-term and enduring friend.
“We provide more than $1billion in assistance and help, save more than two million lives of Nigerians each year through our health and humanitarian assistance.
“This will not change. We are Nigeria’s good partner, and this will continue after this democratic election – no matter who wins.
“This election is Nigeria’s, but it is also important for Nigeria’s neighbours and for the world.
“Nigeria has long played a great leadership role in the region and beyond as a force for democratic stability. The credible electoral results of 2015 empowered Nigeria to play that role. The United States looks forward to a similar result this week,” the embassy said.
While reiterating that the fate of Nigeria remains in the hands of its citizens, the US promised that it would continue to support Nigeria’s democracy and called on security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all the relevant stakeholders to remain neutral in Saturday’s elections.
The US welcomed the signing of peace accords by the candidates for president and other offices.
The statement added: “Now is the time to grow that peace by ensuring all to get the message and put it into action so that both the voting and the aftermath are peaceful and fully respect the democratic process.
“Peace benefits all Nigerians and peace is the responsibility of every citizen as you work together to ensure your elections are free, fair, transparent, and credible,” the embassy stated,
Elections Will Be Free, Fair, PMB Reassures Nigeria
In the same vein, President Muhammadu Buhari has again reassured Nigerians that he is prepared for free, fair and credible elections on Saturday and beyond.
Buhari’s position on the election came yesterday from his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu.
He said that the president gave the assurance at a meeting with monarchs at the secretariat complexes of the Councils of Traditional Rulers in Yenagoa, Bayelsa and Port Harcourt, Rivers, yesterday.
Buhari: “I assure you that I’m all out for free, fair and credible elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) knows my stand on this.
“Nigerians are assured of free and fair elections. Under this leadership, nobody will be allowed to intimidate other citizens. Nobody will be allowed to snatch ballot boxes and run away with them. I will make sure that the votes count.’’
The president commended the introduction of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and card readers for election and urged the people to embrace the technology. He argued that without it, the 16 years of misrule by the PDP would have continued.
“In 16 years, the PDP thought nobody could remove it from office. The introduction of the PVCs and card readers made sure that our votes counted in 2015 and the votes of Nigerians will count in 2019,’’ he stressed.
On security, the president reiterated his commitment to ensuring the protection of life, property and the territorial integrity of the country and urged the traditional rulers to play their part as expected of them.
At the reception for the president, Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, commended him for his statesmanship and love for the country.
The chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Majesty Alfred Diette-Spiff, commended the president for the appointment of citizens of state into key positions and the infrastructure projects being put in place.
He, however, said that the state deserved more of such developmental projects.
In his remarks, Dr. Dandeson Douglas Jaja of Opobo in Rivers, called for free and fair elections and appealed to Buhari to ensure that security agents remained non-partisan throughout the exercise.
Supreme Court Seals Rivers APC Hope
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the APC against the 2018 ruling of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt barring it from conducting any primaries in the state until the legal tussle was resolved.
The dismissal of the appeal has foreclosed any chance of the APC to present candidates for the 2019 general elections.
The ruling of the apex court meant that the APC has lost 50 elective positions: 32 House of Assembly seats, 13 House of Representatives positions, three senatorial tickets and governorship and deputy governorship seats.
In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Aliyu Amir Sanusi, the apex court agreed with the respondents led by Ibrahim Umar, that the suit was a pre-election matter and that the appeal filed by the APC was done outside the 14 days required by law.
The court also nullified the two candidates produced by the two factions loyal to the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Senator, Magnus Abe.
Justice Sanusi who read the lead judgement on a preliminary objection raised by the respondents: Ibrahim Umah and 22 other aggrieved APC members, said that there was substance in the objection raised by the respondent.
Consequently, “the preliminary objection is upheld and the appeal is struck out,” he said
The Supreme Court also agreed with the respondents that the suit from which the trial court entered a judgment barring the APC from holding primaries was an election matter which the court had jurisdiction to entertain.
Justice Sanusi said that the reasons for striking out the appeal would be given on a date to be announced to parties.
The two factions of APC conducted parallel primaries which produced two sets of candidates.
While the Amaechi faction produced Tonye Cole as its governorship candidate, the Abe group picked him as its candidate.
The court in a judgement delivered in the main appeal on the contentious issue that emanated from the congresses and primary elections of the party in Rivers, held that the appeal of the APC was status barred.
Counsel to the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had on Monday argued that the suit that brought the appeal was not a pre-election matter.
His contention was that those who instituted it at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had no locus standi because they were not governorship aspirants.
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Justice Chiwendu of the Federal High Court had in his judgement upheld the claims of the group and barred the APC from proceedings with the conduct of the congresses and the primary election.
The APC however went ahead with the primary election and later appealed against the decision of the trial court at the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal.
At this stage, the Amaechi faction led by Cole sought to be joined in the suit but was refused by the appellate court on the ground that it was not a party at the trial court.
This prompted the group to approach the Supreme Court to reverse the decision.
The Supreme Court however in its judgement insisted that the matter was a pre-election matter and that the appeal was filed out of time.
ACF Endorses PMB For Re-election
And four days to the presidential election, the apex northern sociocultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has endorsed Buhari for the race.
Addressing a press conference yesterday in Kaduna after a meeting convened by Mallam Adamu Fika, chairman, Board of Trustees of the forum, ACF said that it believes that President Buhari deserves a second term to consolidate on his achievements.
The text of the briefing, which was read by Alhaji Musa Liman Kwande, acting chairman of the National Executive Council (NEC), read in parts: “ACF takes note of the state of the political situation as the nation goes into another round of elections, where tensions are heightened as a result of intense campaigns, lobbying and horse-trading among political actors.
“ACF takes special note that major political parties have nominated prominent northerners, for the February 16, 2019 presidential elections. The forum has carefully studied the antecedents of major presidential candidates, the manifestoes and policy documents of their parties, alongside the need for social, political and economic stability in the country.
“ACF is therefore, of the view that certain attributes such as clarity of thought, unity of purpose, content of character and morality of the candidates, their leadership qualities, performance and general acceptability of the candidates contesting for not only the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but also for other elective offices should guide voters in making their choices”.
“The decision on who to elect should not be based on any form of inducements, mob hysteria, intimidation or false promises, but by calm and deliberate consideration of the candidates’ qualities of leadership, performance and moral standing in their public and private lives.
“Furthermore, other considerations such as capacity to tackle security challenges, fight corruption, and boost the economy by way of diversification away from over dependence on oil, by infrastructural development in order to promote growth. The integrity of the candidate to raise the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations is equally important in the election.
“ACF notes the strides taken by the Buhari administration to improve and reposition the nation economically. A few examples are: the multi-billion dollar Mambilla Hydro power Project, the exploration of oil in Gongola Basin of the Benue trough, the Baro inland port, the North East Development Commission, the ongoing rail line projects nationwide, and other critical infrastructural development projects.
“Consequent upon the contributions of the incumbent government to the economic and infrastructural development of the nation, and the government’s achievements in combating insurgency and other insecurity problems bedeviling the country, ACF believes that President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a second term to consolidate on his achievements.”
FG Exposes PDP’s Plan To Orchestrate Crisis
Meanwhile, the federal government has alleged plots by the PDP to disrupt the presidential and National Assembly elections slated for Saturday.
The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement he issued in Abuja yesterday, stated that the plot was part of the last-minute desperate measures by the PDP to orchestrate a crisis and trigger a sense of panic among the populace.
This, according to the minister, is in furtherance of the opposition party’s plan to discredit the election and cause a constitutional crisis.
In the statement signed by his special adviser, Mr. Segun Adeyemi, the minister said that the revelation confirmed the alarm raised by the federal government on January 21 and February3, 2019 that the PDP plans to scuttle the election and, where that fails, discredit it.
Mohammed said that in the days ahead, PDP bigwigs, including Atiku, his running mate, Peter Obi, PDP governors and others, are planning a world press conference in order to level frivolous and unfounded allegations against the federal government and the governing APC.
He said: “Part of the false allegations they plan to make is that the presidency, in connivance with the APC, is planning to force the INEC to announce presidential election results that are favourable to the government in power, on the basis of the false premise that the APC’s intelligence team is worried that the ruling party would lose the elections.”
The minister added that PDP bigwigs also plan to use their world press conference to further disparage the Buhari administration as well as the ruling APC, with a view to painting an unfavourable image of both to Nigerians and the international community and to put the government on the defensive in the run-up to the polls.
“PDP’s last joker is a two-hour live press conference to be addressed by the PDP publicity secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, on February 14, the last day of campaign, to chronicle all their concocted allegations and lies against the ruling government, cast aspersion on government and the ruling party officials and throw innuendos here and there.
“As campaign winds down, the PDP has realised that it cannot possibly win free, fair and credible polls. It has thus resorted to engaging in red herring, hauling insults and abuses at federal government and ruling party officials and making outlandish allegations with a view to creating a sense of panic and crisis,’’ he alleged.
False Alarm, Blackmail Won’t Help You, PDP Replies FG
In a swift reaction last night, the PDP said that no amount of fabrications, false alarm, blackmail and resort to violence by the APC and the Buhari presidency would sway Nigerians or help their plots to rig the presidential election.
The party, which declared that Nigerians were aware that it had been campaigning for the general elections, said that violence, death threats and plot to disrupt the elections had become an official policy of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, having realised that the president has no chance in the February 16 presidential election.
The PDP, in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the Buhari presidency’s “fresh attempt to use its chief propagandist, the minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to lay further false allegations on the PDP has failed, because Nigerians already know those plotting to scuttle the elections by inciting violence and issuing death threats against others.
“What has Lai Mohammed to say to President Buhari, who in Zamfara State on Sunday, urged his supporters to get ready to fight and unleash violence on other Nigerians?
“What has Lai Mohammed to say to the threat by his party’s chieftain and governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, who declared that members of the global democratic institutions working for peaceful election in our country will return to their countries in body bags?
“Lai Mohammed has nothing to say to the director-heneral of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, who raised a war chant and threatened Nigerians at the APC presidential rally in Port Harcourt yesterday.
“It is clear to all that violence, death threats and plots to disrupt the elections have become an official policy of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, having realised that President Buhari has no chance in the February 16 presidential election,” he said.
