2nd April, 2015
Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere; leader of O’dua People’s Congress, OPC, Gani Adams; Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, Igbo and southsouth socio-cultural groups, who were at the forefront of the campaign of calumny against the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, have all made a u-turn following Buhari’s victory in Saturday’s presidential election.
They have all joined the hordes of those congratulating Buhari, describing him as the choice of the people.
Afenifere said the result of the election should be acceptable to all and called on the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to implement the report of the 2014 Confab.
Leader of the group, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, who described the election as unprecedented in the history of Nigerian politics, said though there were reported cases of Card Reader malfunctioning in some areas, the exercise was a success.
He disagreed with the call in some quarters that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should cancel the elections, saying, “it is clear from what we can see that it was fair, free and devoid of violence. I hope we will be able to replicate this in future.”
He urged the incoming APC government to play politics that is free from bitterness, rancour and hatred, saying the interest of the people should be paramount.
Gani Adams, in his congratulatory message said the success of Buhari at the election across the country proved he is the choice of the people.
He commended Buhari for his resilience and tenacity over the years.
“I wish to send my congratulations to the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, on his success in the recently- concluded presidential election. By his resounding success in the election across the country, General Buhari has proved that he is the choice of the people,” Adams stated.
He added: “His speeches before, during and after the election are also commendable because they went a long way in dousing the tension in the country. This actually shows that the ‘Peoples General’ as he is fondly called is indeed a statesman.”
Adams called on Buhari to begin to see himself as the president-elect of all Nigerians and not just that of the All Progressives Congress.
“For him, it is time to mend whatever differences that may have arisen as a result of the election,” he said.
A few days to the presidential election, Gani Adams led OPC members on a violent protest in Lagos against INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, during which APC billboards and posters were destroyed on Ikorodu Road.
On its part, the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, led by Capital Oil boss, Ifeanyi Ubah, urged Nigerians to pray for God’s guidance for Buhari.
“We congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari for his victory in the just concluded Presidential election. Nigerians have spoken. This is indeed a victory for all Nigerians, victory for democracy in Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world.
“We enjoin all Nigerians to pray for God Almighty’s guidance for the President-elect; General Muhammadu Buhari, that his presidency will deliver further dividends of democracy to all citizens of Nigeria,” TAN’s message read in part.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a paid advertisement jointly signed by Chief Ralp Obioha, Chairman Ohanaeze Ndigbo Cretaker Committee and Dr. Zed Chukwujama, Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee and published in a national newspaper on Tuesday, said: “The verdict of the Nigerian people shows that the President-Elect General Muhammadu Buhari has received the mandate to pilot the affairs of our great country, Nigeria, for the next four years. The choice they made has deepened our democracy and its significance will profoundly restore Nigeria’s dignity across the globe.
“We congratulate the President-Elect and Vice President on their remarkable victory after a tedious and sometimes rancorous campaign. We congratulate the entire Nigerian people whose participation is the bedrock of democracy. We also congratulate all the Senators and members of the House of Representatives who won the election of last Saturday.
“We pray that the president-elect shall extract the best Nigerians to assist him fix a rather broken nation. In the same token, we also extend our gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan for his steadfast promotion of the democratic electoral process and his commitment in encouraging INEC to independently conduct a free and fair election.”
The group and others in the southeast and southsouth geopolitical zones supported Jonathan overwhelmingly in the run-up to the presidential election and the support was amply demonstrated in the resounding victory Jonathan recorded in the two zones last Saturday.
In the season of u-turn, the first person that congratulated Buhari was the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.
Fayose did not give Buhari any breathing space during the electioneering period. He even wished Buhari dead in paid advertisements in national newspapers.