President Goodluck Jonathan may have prevailed on the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) not to challenge President-elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory
in last Saturday’s election.
Instead of planning a case for the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, the
Presidency will raise a Transition Committee on Tuesday, a source told The
Nation yesterday.
Vice President-elect Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is likely to head the All Progressives
Congress (APC) team which will join the committee ahead of the May 29
transition.
Ministers have started preparing their handover notes, it was also learnt.
It was gathered that although some PDP stalwarts wanted Buhari’s victory
challenged at the tribunal, the President thought otherwise.
The party stalwarts, it was said, believe that some irregularities in some
states are strong enough to upturn the final results of the election, which
was hailed at home and abroad as substantially credible. Jonathan, it was
learnt, said it made no sense —contesting Buhari’s victory— after he had
conceded defeat.
It was learnt that the PDP leaders referred to the electoral scenario in
Ekiti where the All Progressives Congress(APC) went to tribunal despite
the acceptance of defeat by ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi.
The President, however, stood his ground that he would rather stand by his
statesmanship attitude than going to tribunal.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The President has prevailed on PDP
to drop plans to go to tribunal against Buhari. He said he wants his word to
be his bond, having been applauded by the international community.
“At a point, Jonathan said ‘I don’t believe in post-election petition at
tribunal because it distracts the incoming administration’.
“He also said Nigeria must emulate other nations where once the presidential
poll is lost and won, the new government must not be distracted with election
petitions.
“He told party leaders that he was not interested in going to the tribunal.
It is now left for PDP leaders to heed his advice.
“So as at Thursday, the government’s position is that the PDP should not go
to tribunal.”
Stating the PDP’s position on the elections in a statement yesterday,
Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, said: “We have received reports of serious
irregularities that characterized the conduct of the election and we shall
channel our protests to the appropriate quarters in line with our profound
respect for the rule of law and democratic ethos.”
He did not say whether the party would go to the tribunal but added:
“What is paramount to us is the survival of our democracy, the unity, peace
and progress of our dear nation and the happiness of all our people. Nigeria
is bigger than any political party, individual or group and her overall interest
must be our priority at all times.”
The President in 2010 at the 15th summit of the African Union (AU) in
Kampala, Uganda described post-election litigation as a major distraction to
governance.
Jonathan said: “It is inconvenient to already be in office and be thinking
about election litigation.
“The essence of the immunity clause in the constitution is that if a president
or a governor takes an oath of office, he should sit down and concentrate
on the job and when he leaves office, he could be prosecuted for any
offence.
“But because of the way we conduct our elections, the president who sits in
office is still battling and being distracted with election issues, and it
affects us.”
The transition committee is likely to be constituted next week.
Another source added: “The Presidency is working on a seamless transition
from Jonathan’s administration to Buhari’s. The details are being worked
out.”
“I think by next week, the picture of the transition committee will emerge.
The government is working early on the transition because it involves a lot
of work.
“The APC team will have to collaborate with the committee and ask questions
if there are grey areas.”
Meanwhile, Ministers have started compiling their handover notes, which will be
part of the integral aspect of the report of the transition committee.
Party (PDP) not to challenge President-elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory
in last Saturday’s election.
Instead of planning a case for the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, the
Presidency will raise a Transition Committee on Tuesday, a source told The
Nation yesterday.
Vice President-elect Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is likely to head the All Progressives
Congress (APC) team which will join the committee ahead of the May 29
transition.
Ministers have started preparing their handover notes, it was also learnt.
It was gathered that although some PDP stalwarts wanted Buhari’s victory
challenged at the tribunal, the President thought otherwise.
The party stalwarts, it was said, believe that some irregularities in some
states are strong enough to upturn the final results of the election, which
was hailed at home and abroad as substantially credible. Jonathan, it was
learnt, said it made no sense —contesting Buhari’s victory— after he had
conceded defeat.
It was learnt that the PDP leaders referred to the electoral scenario in
Ekiti where the All Progressives Congress(APC) went to tribunal despite
the acceptance of defeat by ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi.
The President, however, stood his ground that he would rather stand by his
statesmanship attitude than going to tribunal.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The President has prevailed on PDP
to drop plans to go to tribunal against Buhari. He said he wants his word to
be his bond, having been applauded by the international community.
“At a point, Jonathan said ‘I don’t believe in post-election petition at
tribunal because it distracts the incoming administration’.
“He also said Nigeria must emulate other nations where once the presidential
poll is lost and won, the new government must not be distracted with election
petitions.
“He told party leaders that he was not interested in going to the tribunal.
It is now left for PDP leaders to heed his advice.
“So as at Thursday, the government’s position is that the PDP should not go
to tribunal.”
Stating the PDP’s position on the elections in a statement yesterday,
Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, said: “We have received reports of serious
irregularities that characterized the conduct of the election and we shall
channel our protests to the appropriate quarters in line with our profound
respect for the rule of law and democratic ethos.”
He did not say whether the party would go to the tribunal but added:
“What is paramount to us is the survival of our democracy, the unity, peace
and progress of our dear nation and the happiness of all our people. Nigeria
is bigger than any political party, individual or group and her overall interest
must be our priority at all times.”
The President in 2010 at the 15th summit of the African Union (AU) in
Kampala, Uganda described post-election litigation as a major distraction to
governance.
Jonathan said: “It is inconvenient to already be in office and be thinking
about election litigation.
“The essence of the immunity clause in the constitution is that if a president
or a governor takes an oath of office, he should sit down and concentrate
on the job and when he leaves office, he could be prosecuted for any
offence.
“But because of the way we conduct our elections, the president who sits in
office is still battling and being distracted with election issues, and it
affects us.”
The transition committee is likely to be constituted next week.
Another source added: “The Presidency is working on a seamless transition
from Jonathan’s administration to Buhari’s. The details are being worked
out.”
“I think by next week, the picture of the transition committee will emerge.
The government is working early on the transition because it involves a lot
of work.
“The APC team will have to collaborate with the committee and ask questions
if there are grey areas.”
Meanwhile, Ministers have started compiling their handover notes, which will be
part of the integral aspect of the report of the transition committee.
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