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Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Sir Peter Obi, presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Labour Party (LP) respectively, were on Thursday asked to withdraw their cases against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and join hands with him in the proposed national unity and all-inclusive government.
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Tinubu/Shettima 2023, nationally coordinated by Lilian Ogbole made the call while addressing a press conference on Thursday in Abuja.
Ogbole said the call became imperative because the Tinubu-led administration had shown that it was ready to work assiduously to install peace, development and progress in Nigeria.
She noted that it was no news that well-meaning Nigerians all over the world and the international community at large were applauding and giving the president ovations for his decisiveness in tackling and containing serious national issues, and the transformational reforms and socio-economic policies and initiatives he had brought to the table in less than 30 days in office.
The bold steps, she stressed, were gradually resulting in accelerated relief and reassurance of hope in the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda for not just Nigerians but the entire African continent.
Ogbole added that as stakeholders in the Nigerian project, members of the group deemed it imperative to call on all selfless, well-meaning Nigerians and patriots across party lines to shield their swords and embrace this transformational government of national unity and all-inclusiveness.
Stated She: “We resolved to say unequivocally loud and clear, here and now that the victory in the last presidential election is a victory for all Nigerians regardless of their political affiliation and alignment, religion or tribe, it is indeed a victory for Africa, the entire black race and of course victory for the entire world and humanity at large; it was a no victor no vanquish election.
“President Bola Tinubu’s government has thus far proved beyond every reasonable doubt to be transformational in nature with huge potential to reunite, revitalise, renew and reposition Nigeria for a breakthrough to an uninterrupted era of progress and prosperity, hence the need for all hands to be on deck.
“Even though, we are aware that it is the fundamental right of all aggrieved candidates to seek for redress in the court of law, in the national interest we wish to use this avenue to crave the indulgence of all aggrieved candidates who are seeking redress in the tribunal to withdraw their litigations against the president and join hands with him in the proposed national unity and all-inclusive government”.
The coalition noted that it was certain that the priority of all candidates of other political parties was to do same selflessly in the national interest, since Tinubu was playing out their intentions they could and should go a step further to synergise with him to achieve the same patriotic purpose.
The group further stressed that this was the only way to prove to the world that indeed, their struggles were not personal and selfish, but rather in the national interest and quest to restore the dignity of man through the initiation and implementation of people-friendly policies and programmes.
It also urged all elder statesmen across the country to invite all aggrieved parties to a round table meeting and appeal to them not to subvert the will of the people through distractions, but join hands with the government to change their story.
Both Atiku and Obi are in court challenging the declaration of Tinubu of APC as the winner of the February 25 presidential polls.
