Tinubu wades into election observers controversy saying they should just write their reports and go home

ALL Progressives Congress (APC) national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has waded into the ongoing debate about foreign election observers by saying that they should just come and witness the polls and leave immediately after writing their reports.

In a moment of recklessness last week, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State warned that any foreigners who intervened in the elections would go back to their countries in body bags. His comments immediately attracted widespread national and international condemnation, with the European Union (EU), UK, Commonwealth, African Union and US all saying they would be sending observers to monitor the elections.

Seeking to limit the diplomatic damage the statement may have caused, President Muhammadu Buhari issued a statement through his spokesman Mallam Garba Shehu, saying the governor spoke in the interest of Nigerians and there is nothing more to sneeze at. He further assured the international community of a free and fair and violence-free election.

Now wading into the crisis, Asiwaju Tinubu has welcomed all foreign observers ahead of the elections and urged them to write their various political reports and go back home. Speaking at the APC presidential campaign rally in Lagos, Asiwaju Tinubu urged them to stick to their primary assignment.

Asiwaju Tinubu said: “Observe, write your report and go home. This is our democracy. We are watching Trump and China.”

During the rally, he described former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as a master rigger, whose legacies in office were electoral fraud. Asiwaju Tinubu said the election that brought former president Umaru Yar'Adua to power was severely flawed and it was conducted by Chief Obasanjo the greatest election rigger.