Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and former governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, have congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
“Given the unprecedented margin of victory that Mr President recorded in our state, Kwara, and the very glaring acceptability of his candidature across the country, I have always known that any legal challenge to his victory was just an academic exercise because the people have spoken clearly,” AbdulRazaq said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye.
“Without prejudice to the right of the opposition to seek redress as they did, the judgment of the presidential election tribunal only affirmed the position of the people of Nigeria who appreciate the discipline, integrity, patriotism, and commitment of Mr President to a better Nigeria.”
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the victory as a final lap of a relay race where the real victor is evidently seen at the finishing line.
Sanwo-Olu said ”although millions of Nigerians were not in doubt as regards the mandate freely given to President Buhari to steer the ship of the country for another term of four years, the opposition politicians were also not wrong to have approached the court to seek redress, noting that they were free to test the country’s judicial system.
”With this pronouncement, it is clear to everyone that contrary to misinformation being spread against our party during the electioneering by the opposition, the All Progressives Congress under President Muhammadu Buhari performed to the satisfaction of Nigerians in his first term in office.”
Ambode, in a statement by his media aide, Habib Aruna, said the ruling by the tribunal was a validation of the second term mandate of the people given to President Buhari to continue the strides of development and to take Nigeria to the next level.
“I join millions of Nigerians, the leadership of our great party and all members of our party across the nation to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on this well-deserved victory at the Tribunal. This victory is a validation of the confidence in the President’s re-election and a testament to the fact that the people are happy with the progress made by his administration and are keen to see four more years of progressive governance,” he said.
He urged all supporters of the party and Nigerians, in general, to rally round President Buhari in his quest to return Nigeria to the path of greatness and respectability.