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| Atiku says US visa restriction validates his claims that the last election was rigged. |
It's now over five months since the last presidential election was won and lost, but it does appear that the losing side's resolve to challenge the outcome of the February 23 poll is very much far from over as the People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the last presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is still in court fighting for his 'stolen' mandate.
While he believes he's had enough evidence to win his case at the tribunal, the former vice president also said the visa restriction placed on Nigerian politicians believed to have been responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Nigeria by the US State Department validated his claims and struggles that this year’s general elections were rigged.
Speaking on Wednesday via his Special Adviser on Media, Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate said no matter how far and fast falsehood spread, it must eventually be overtaken by truth, and called on Nigerians not to despair, expressing optimism that there would be light at the end of the tunnel.
“After the conduct of the February 23, 2019 Nigerian presidential elections, we maintained that the polls were rigged, not credible and that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar won the elections and that his mandate was stolen.
“It seems that day has come. After many months of living in denial, the Buhari regime is now faced with the truth in the form of a US visa ban on politicians who undermined Nigeria’s democracy.
“Speaking on the ban, the US State Department in a statement by its spokesman, Morgan Ortagus on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, stated that ‘we condemn those whose acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption harmed Nigerians or undermined the democratic process.’
“Speaking further, Mr. Ortagus said, ‘the Secretary of State is imposing visa restrictions on Nigerians believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Nigeria.’
“These individuals have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights.’
“The above statement is a vindication of our position that the 2019 elections were ‘undermined’ by the actions of state actors and institutions.
“We also wish to thank the United States of America for standing with the Nigerian people against those whose desire it is to truncate our democracy.
“The myriad of security, economic and social challenges Nigeria currently faces, which has resulted in our nation becoming the world headquarters for extreme poverty will, God wiling, soon be over, with the prospect of purposeful and result oriented leadership,” Atiku said.
