Some residents of Katsina have urged all candidates who lost the presidential election to concede defeat in the interest of peace and stability of the country.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, ex-Governors Peter Obi (Labour Party) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP), among other contestants, lost to APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu, who has since been declared the president-elect.

Mr Tinubu won the February 25 poll with 8,794,726 votes. Mr Abubakar had 6,984,520 votes, Mr Obi scored 6,101,533 votes, and Mr Kwankwaso received 1,496,687 votes.

In separate interviews on Wednesday, the residents said the candidates should imitate former president Goodluck Jonathan by accepting defeat and congratulating the winner.

“They should put national interest above their personal interest; conceding defeat will douse tension and prevent possible breakdown of law and order,” one of the residents, Sulaiman Gambo, said.

He added, “I think it will be wrong for us to protest this victory. We have elected candidates of our choice, and in the end, Tinubu emerged the winner.”

Another resident, Abubakar Muhammad, called on youths not to allow themselves to be used by any politician to cause violence.

Mr Muhammad advised all the newly elected leaders to focus on alleviating the sufferings of citizens and addressing the insecurity and economic challenges bedevilling the country.

On his part, Kabir Abdullahi urged those who lost the election to follow legal channels to seek redress instead of using the youths to cause violence.

“This will not augur well for such politicians and the country,” he said.

Mr Abdullahi advised them to carry the people along to have an all-inclusive government in which people’s interests were well protected.

(NAN)