By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The former Nigerian Envoy to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Ambassador Hassan Jika Ardo has described the agitations of the People’s Democratic Party PDP and Labour Party LP in the aftermath of February 25th Presidential polls as a clear show of confusion caused by mutual defeat.
Ardo stated this on Thursday in Jalingo during an interactive session with Journalists.
He said that both the candidates of the PDP and LP are all claiming to have won the presidential election where the candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been declared winner.
According to Ardo who is the Taraba State Coordinator of the Independent Grassroot Presidential Campaign Council (IGPCC), it is not only absurd that the duo are all claiming the same seat that the winner has already been announced, but surprising that they are actually teaming up to make the claims.
Ardo described the election as the most transparent election in recent times due to lack of cash to induce electorates and urge the people to team up with the President elect and his running mate to make sure that they move the country to a more desirable height.
“This is the election that we can both beat our chests and say the people have spoken. Because there was no cash to be thrown around, the issue of vote buying and inducement of voters was almost completely ruled out. The orderliness with which the relevant stakeholders such as security agencies, pressmen, INEC staff and the electorates, conducted themselves was simply amazing.
“It seems a bit confusing that the candidates of the PDP and LP are teaming up to each make claims that they won the election. I think they need to first of all sort themselves out and decide which among them they feel won the election before they will come to confront the APC. Today, Tinubu stand as one of the most reliable governor’s this country has ever produced, and so it is not surprising that he has won the election.
“Talking about the credibility of the polls, remember that Tinubu lost Lagos, President Muhammadu Buhari lost Katsina State, the DG of the campaign and governor of Plateau state lost Plateau State, the Senate president lost his state, former acting Chairman of the party Malla Buni lost Yobe and a host of others. If such principal actors could lost their own states when they had everything it takes to rig their way through, it shows you that the process was simply impeccable. So the agitations seem needless, but of course, it is a normal thing everywhere around the world.
The pioneer Chairman of the APC in Taraba State said that despite the seeming crisis in the party in the State, they were working round the clock to ensure the victory of the party at all costs.
“I have always said that justice, fairness, honesty and integrity are very key. I am worried that we are carrying out campaign in the state on the basis of religion and ethnicity. I expect Tarabans to look out for people who are sincere, who have proven records of carrying people along and demonstrated competence.
“When the current administration in Taraba State came on board, I said a lot of things and was hugely criticized. Today I am been vindicated. The Governor who claimed to have won state election twice could not even win his local government. And so I urge people to be critical in making their choice this time. The assumption that certain religions or ethnic groups can not rule the state is ungodly and very dangerous.
“The situation of our dear state is pathetic. This administration is the worst thing that has happened to Taraba. We have a governor but no governance. The foundation that was laid by previous regimes is completely destroyed and so we need to start afresh. The failure of this administration is collosal. The only way the Governor has done successfully is to divide the state along ethno-religious lines”.
Ardo said that while the PDP remains the party to runaway from, the faulty primaries of the APC and ensuing legal tussle are of great concern but insisted that the people must look inwards objectively to decide who they vote in to lead them. “Taraba is bleeding. We must not make the mistake of electing wrong leaders. As a staunch party member and founding Chairman of the party, I remain with the party absolutely. That is why despite all the pressure, I will never endorse someone else outside our party” he said.
