The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, for seeking the congrulatory message of the United States President, Joe Biden.
The Director of New Media, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Femi Fani-Kayode, had taken to Twitter to say that although the US State Department had congratulated Tinubu, there was a need for President Biden to add his voice as both the United States and Nigeria shared a historic relationship.
“Whether Joe Biden calls to congratulate him or not Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the President-elect of the biggest, richest, most populous, most advanced and most enlightened nation in Africa and the Western world’s biggest trading partner on the continent. They need us as much as we need them.
“Yes the American State Department and the American Ambassador to Nigeria both congratulated Asiwaju. For this we are eternally grateful and it reflects a measure of respect. However its time for Joe to pick up the phone and add his voice. We are a big nation: we deserve no less,” Fani-Kayode tweeted on Wednesday.
Responding, Atiku, in a statement, issued on Thursday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said Fani-Kayode’s remarks were evidence of desperation.
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Atiku’s aide described the former Minister of Aviation’s action as appalling just as he called on Tinubu and his team to stop forcing foreign countries to recognise the “sham election conducted by INEC”.
He added: “After being the beneficiary of the worst and most fraudulent election in the history of Nigeria, Tinubu and his ilk are now running from pillar to post, begging Western powers to recognise Tinubu. This is the height of desperation.
“It is reminiscent of the Sani Abacha days where the maximum ruler tried to ingratiate himself with the West after refusing to recognise MKO Abiola as the winner of June 12 election and deciding to seize power over a people that did not want him.
“Even the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, stated expressly that Nigeria’s election was below the expectation of Nigerians.
“Several credible media houses locally and internationally, as well as EU observers, have all questioned the credibility of this election. Yet, Tinubu and his ilk want a stamp of approval on it? What a joke!”
Shaibu noted that Chatham House, an independent policy institute based in London, in an analysis by one of its fellows said the February 25 presidential election showed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to learn new lessons.
The London-based tmThink Tank had stressed that the electoral umpire failed to adhere to its own guidelines, which it put in place before the poll, especially the one bordering on the uploading of results in real-time.
Atiku’s side, however, enjoined Tinubu’s campaign team to save their strength for the legal challenge in the coming weeks rather than beg President Biden to recognise his “tainted mandate”.
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