Atiku Denies Validating Tinubu’s Presidential Victory

By Damilare Adeleye

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded election, Atiku Abubakar, has distanced himself from giving validation to the results that produced Bola Ahmed Tinubu of APC as the president-elect.

Recall that INEC returned Sen. Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Atiku said: “I have been notified of a fake press release attributed to me purportedly giving legitimacy to the presidential election of Feb. 25.

“The press release did not emanate from me or from my office and it should be treated with repudiation.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I state categorically that my lawyers still have my unflinching mandate to challenge the outcome of the election.’’

He added that he joined other lovers of democracy in Nigeria and friends of the country in the outright rejection of the pre-determined outcome of the election.

He stated also that he would continue to challenge the legality of the election alongside his party, the PDP.

“The decision to challenge the election is not predicated on my personal interest, but in the interest of Nigeria and its people.

“It is aimed at deepening democracy and ensuring that we do not confer legitimacy on an outcome of illegitimacy.

“My commitment to the democratic struggle in Nigeria is beyond an election season,’’ Abubakar added.