Atiku says he will accept election tribunal verdict even it rules against him and declares Buhari winner

FORMER vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has declared that he will accept the verdict of the Presidential Election Tribunal even if it rules that President Muhammadu Buhari was the winner of the elections he is challenging.

In February, Nigeria went to the polls on what was a two-horse race between incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). After counting, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), declared President Buhari the winner but Alhaji Abubakar disputes the results and is challenging them in court.

Despite his belief that the results were doctored, Alhaji Abubakar said he would not allow Nigeria to experience a crisis or the spilling of innocent blood in a bid to get justice. Segun Sowunmi, spokesman for the Atiku campaign, said that the former vice president was more interested in institutional reforms that would enhance national development.

He said: “We hope and pray that the cankerworm, nepotism, corruption and lack of integrity that has eaten deep into the fabrics of this society would be caught. However, it’s up to the courts to demonstrate that they are immune and I think this election tribunal will do its work.

"People want to know how it will go, and of course, we don’t have a choice, we will accept the verdict of history, we will accept the verdict of the court. However, there is no way you can edge it, Atiku is already the winner of the 2019 presidential election in the minds of the people."