Abia APC chieftain, Otuwe Kalu admonishes Atiku, Obi on working with Tinubu to overcome Nigeria’s challenges

By Chijindu Emeruwa

An All Progressive Congress, APC, chieftain from the southeast, Hon Otuwe Oji Kalu, has called on ex-Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, to accept the recent the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal judgment that validated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25, 2023 election.

GLOBAL TIMES recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) had declared Bola Tinubu, the standard-beaerer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the new President-elect and winner of the concluded february 25, 2023 presidential election held across the federation.

He polled a total highest number of 8,794,726 votes, to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, who polled a total number of 6,984,520 votes cast to come second; while LP standard-bearer, Peter Obi scored a total of 6, 101,533 votes casts to come third place.

Dissatisfied on outcomes of the concluded 2023 presidential poll held in all federating states in the country by the national electoral commission, Atiku and Obi, approached the presidential election petition tribunal with separate petitions, and sought the declaratory order of the court to invalidate Bola Tinubu’s election as the incumbent President of Nigeria.

Last week Wednesday, a five man panel of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal chaired by Hon Justice Simon Haruna Tsammani affirmed Tinubu as the lawful winner of the 2023 presidential election, saying the petitions were devoid of merit and were subsequently thrown out.

Earlier, Mr Otuwe Kalu, who was also the Abia State House of Assembly standard-bearer of the APC for Ohafia north constituency seat during the concluded 2023 elections in Nigeria, while baring his minds in an interview with journalists at the weekend in Umuahia, the state capital, maintained that Nigerian electorates had spoken again in one loud voice in this recent affirmation of Bola Tinubu’s victory during the recently-concluded presidential election held in all states of Nigeria federation.

He insisted the recent verdicts in two separate petitions by the presidential election tribunal was true indication of the sincere resolve by the judicial arm of Nigerian government in upholding principles of natural justice and fairness in adjudication of cases.

According to him “Judicial arm of any government plays functional roles in democratic society. And i must say that Nigeria judiciary is leaving up to her constitutionally vested roles, especially in current efforts by APC-led federal government and critical Nigerian stakeholders in deepening democratic process at all levels of leadership in the country.

“The tribunal judgment was a good one. I congtheratulate the president, the judiciary and the Nigeria people. The judgement has further affirmed that the president won the election. Atiku, Obi and the rest should join hands with the President to build a stable Nigeria.
“I congratulate candidates of major opposition political parties in the post-2023 election matters, they have tried. They did their best. And even some of us who contested political seat during the concluded general elections. In any race or competition, only one person will emerge as the winner on conclusion of the execrise.

“Two persons can never occupy one same position. There must be a winner and losers. And those who lost in competition are expected to close ranks and join hands with government controlled by the winner or the ruling party towards engendering the building of the nation’s economy and developing critical infrastructure in every stratas of Nigeria.

“They should also consider national interest, security and development of the country, because Nigeria cannot afford to slide due to selfish personal aggrandisements of Nigeria political elites. These political elites have continued to feed fat with the nation’s common resources, and most regrettably, criminal enrichment of family members, associates and followers or supporters”.

Kalu however admonished Atiku and Obi to bring forward their vast experience and join hands with President Bola Tinubu-led administration in taking Nigeria to a greater height for economic greatness and infrastructural growths.

Words: “I think, the reality remains, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has won at the tribunal, the President’s close rivals must see reasons to jettison individual political differences and work with him. It is imperative for all Nigerian citizens to support the President so as to overcome daunting challenges facing us”.