President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has raised alarm over alleged plots by some aggrieved politicians to truncate the transition process, particularly his expected swearing-in on May 29.
Tinubu, in a statement by the spokesman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Festus Keyamo, also warned the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, against taking to the streets and also pursuing their cases in court.
In the statement issued Saturday in Abuja, the President-elect noted that those who have taken to the streets protesting against his mandate are fixated on having an Interim National Government (ING).
The statement reads in part, “We have watched with great concern the “condemnable” activities of some persons and groups desirous of truncating our democracy.
“For reasons best known to them, these persons have remained embittered that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared winner of the 2023 General Elections. Repeatedly, but unfortunately, these misguided individuals have called for either the cancellation of the results or that the President-elect should not be inaugurated on the 29th of May, 2023.
“We wish to reiterate and emphasise that these positions are not in tandem with our constitutional provisions or our electoral laws. We would have taken these as mere wishful thinking, however, because of their implications for national security and public order, we have therefore considered it necessary, if not expedient, to call them to order.
“We are aware of the intentions of those engaged in these treasonable and subversive acts. We also know those involved in the many plots being contrived to undermine the transition in particular and democracy in general. They are fixated on an Interim Government. They have done it in this country before and it threw the country into avoidable crises for many years and they want to do it again. They are bent on delegitimizing the new government. Some have made treasonable insinuations and openly called for military take-over. It is for these reasons that they are desperate to incite the people against the incoming Government.
“It is perplexing to see that those contesting the results want to be in the courts and on the streets at the same time. However, if their intention is to truncate the inauguration of the President-elect and Vice-President-elect, they should immediately bury the thought. It is gratifying to note that the President has set in motion steps for the actualisation of the swearing-in ceremonies. In this regard, the Presidential Transition Council has remained focused and committed to its Terms of Reference in respect of organizing a hitch-free handover”.
