The All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate in the February 25 presidential election, to accept his defeat as an elder statesman.

Felix Morka, the APC national publicity secretary, advised in a statement on Monday in Abuja while reacting to a news conference addressed by Mr Abubakar earlier in the day.

The APC publicity secretary wondered if Mr Abubakar would have vilified the judiciary as he was currently doing if he had won the election and was upheld by the courts as the winner.

Mr Morka added that, as rightly pointed out by Mr Abubakar at his news conference, the issues at stake were not about him but the country.

He maintained that Nigeria was greater than Mr Abubakar’s unrealised ambition to be president, stressing that Nigeria must move and had moved on.

“Rather than vindicate you, history will not forget your unwillingness to put the country first and above your personal political ambition,” Mr Morka stated. 

Mr Morka noted that Mr Abubakar’s allegations that irregularities characterised the election were roundly dismissed by the Presidential Election Petition Court and the Supreme Court as unsubstantiated and unproven.

The APC spokesman further noted that nowhere in Mr Abubakar’s speech did he state that he won the election. He said this corroborated the court’s findings and decision that he did not win the election.

“It is delusional for Atiku and his party to have expected the courts to rely on their bogus, flimsy, unverifiable, uncorroborated claims,” he said.

Mr Morka said the courts could not have relied on Mr Abubakar’s “illogical and hearsay evidence to upturn an election that was conducted in substantial compliance with the constitution and electoral laws of our land.

“For a serial election loser whose life ambition is to rule the country, we understand how pained and utterly distraught Atiku must be.

“However, to continue to deny and disrespect the collective will of Nigerians, disparage the judiciary, incite rage and call our democratic institutions into question is beyond the pale,” Mr Morka said.

He added, “Regrettably, you missed the opportunity of your press conference to redeem your prestige as an elder and statesman by rising above political pettiness and offer befitting congratulations to President Tinubu on his electoral victory.”

(NAN)