I didn’t lose 2023 election, it was ‘criminally stolen’, Atiku alleges

Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has alleged that the outcome of the 2023 general elections was manipulated and that his loss was the result of a “criminally stolen” election. Atiku made these statements during a press conference, where he vehemently rejected the results of the February 2023 presidential election, which declared Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.

In his remarks, Atiku argued that the process was marred by serious irregularities, alleging widespread rigging and electoral fraud that prevented the true will of the Nigerian people from being reflected in the final outcome. He reiterated his belief that the election was neither free nor fair, and as such, it was invalid. According to Atiku, there was substantial evidence pointing to criminal activities aimed at altering the results in favor of the APC candidate.

The PDP candidate stressed that he did not lose the election but was instead “robbed” of his victory through an orchestrated scheme. He noted that many voters had been disenfranchised, and that the conduct of the election did not meet the standards set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor those guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.

Atiku further accused the electoral body of failing to uphold its constitutional mandate and providing inadequate supervision of the voting process. He also claimed that INEC had failed to transmit election results electronically, as had been promised during the lead-up to the election, and that this failure contributed to the questionable nature of the results. According to him, the inability to upload results in real-time to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV) allowed for widespread manipulation of the electoral outcomes.

In his comments, Atiku also noted the role of the military and other security agencies, which he believes played a part in creating an environment of intimidation during the election. He accused security forces of being complicit in acts of violence and ballot box snatching, particularly in areas where the PDP had a strong following.

The former vice president’s remarks come as he and his party continue to challenge the results in court. Atiku, who has contested every presidential election since 2007, has filed a petition at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, seeking to overturn the victory of Tinubu and the APC. In the petition, Atiku claims that the election was characterized by massive irregularities and that the eventual winner did not meet the constitutional requirements to be declared president.

Atiku’s accusations have sparked a renewed debate about the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system and the growing dissatisfaction with the conduct of elections. While his supporters echo his claims of a stolen election, the ruling APC party has strongly dismissed the allegations, insisting that the election was conducted fairly and transparently.

The legal battle over the 2023 election results is expected to continue, with Atiku and his party determined to press on in their quest for justice. With the tribunal set to consider the petition, Nigerians are closely watching to see how the case unfolds and whether the allegations of election malfeasance will be proven in court.