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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has described the last Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections as the worst since 1999.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku said the dreams and aspirations of Nigerians that voted on Saturday have been shattered by the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which he claimed failed woefully in the conduct of the elections.
He said the 2023 general elections was the worst election conducted since the return of democracy in 1999, adding that what happened was a rape of democracy.
Atiku said having consulted with party leaders, he had come to the conclusion that the process was fraudulent and would be challenged by the PDP and all.
According to him, the battle to right the wrong is not about him but about Nigerians and the future of its youths, adding that many Nigerians are traumatised by the outcome of the election.
“It is my hope that the judiciary will redeem itself. At the end it is not about who wins but the the legitimacy of our democracy. We will not watch why the rights of Nigerians are taken from them.
“The battle to fight the wrong of Saturday is not about me but about Nigeria’s future. The battle is to deepen democracy and the future of the youth.
“INEC failed woefully to live up to expectations. The manipulations and fraud were unprecedented.
“It was a rape of democracy. The process and outcome of the presidential election were grossly flawed in every aspect,” Atiku said.