APC Shuns PDP, Atiku After Supreme Court Victory

Contrary to the tradition of inviting the opposition parties who lost elections to support the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress APC) seems to distance itself from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement issued shortly after the Supreme Court dismissed Atiku’s appeal against the presidential tribunal’s dismissal of his earlier petition, the APC described the opposition party and its candidate as “unpatriotic and confused” while congratulating President Muhammadu MBuhari and Nigerians for the reaffirmation of the party’s presidential victory.

In the past, the ruling parties had always called on the parties that lost the elections to join hands to move the country forward.

After the APC’s presidential candidate, President Buhari was declared winner of the February 23 presidential election, the ruling party and the president-elect had invited the PDP and other opposition parties to accept defeat and support the party to deliver good governance to the people.

The PDP and its presidential candidate, however, claimed to have won the election and refused to recognize the victory of APC and accused the party of stealing its mandate.

Wednesday’s statement, signed by APC’s national publicity secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the ruling party appeared to see the PDP and its presidential candidate as adversaries and enemies of the country.

“The Party hails the Judiciary for standing firm in the face of the PDP and Atiku’s subterfuge and for siding with the Nigerian electorate who through their votes decided to do away with PDP’s ignominious past and re-elect the President Buhari-led APC administration which has ushered in a new era of progressive growth for our country.

“With the ruling of the Supreme Court, which has finally affirmed President Buhari’s election victory, we enjoin the PDP and Atiku to jettison their destructive and disruptive agenda against Nigeria, which they have made up their minds to pursue for the next four years.

“The PDP and Atiku should not confuse opposition politics for their unpatriotic agenda. Democratic politics cannot be practiced in the state of anarchy, confusion which the PDP and Atiku wish to achieve. Such a diabolic plan will definitely fail.”

The APC further hailed the judiciary for standing firm against what it described as the “subterfuge” of PDP and Atiku.

The ruling party commended the judiciary for “siding with the Nigerian electorate who through their votes decided to do away with PDP’s ignominious past and re-elect the President Buhari-led APC administration which has ushered in a new era of progressive growth for our country.”

However, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, seems to have a different view.

In a statement he issued on Wednesday, Gbajabiamila called on Atiku and PDP to support the APC administration.

“I want to urge, Mr Atiku Abubakar, who has put to test our justice delivery system by contesting the election result from the lowest to the highest court, and the PDP to accept the judgment in good faith and in the spirit of sportsmanship and help the government in building a strong, prosperous and united Nigeria,” he said, adding “I rejoice with President Buhari and our party, APC over this victory”