Being text of a World Press Conference on the Presidential Election Petition Judgement by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Waziri Adamawa, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 Election, at the PDP Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, 30th October, 2023.

Protocol.

Gentlemen of the Press.

Someone asked me what I would do if I lost my election petition appeal at the Supreme Court. In response, I said that as long as Nigeria wins, the struggle would have been worth the while. By that, I meant that the bigger loss would not be mine but Nigeria’s if the Supreme Court legitimizes illegality, including forgery, identity theft, and perjury.

If the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, implies by its judgment that crime is good and should be rewarded, then Nigeria has lost and the country is doomed irrespective of who occupies the Presidential seat. If the Supreme Court decides that the Electoral umpire, INEC, can tell the public one thing and then do something else in order to reach a corruptly predetermined outcome, then there is really no hope for the country’s democracy and electoral politics.

Obviously, the consequences of those decisions for the country will not end at the expiration of the current government. They will last for decades. I am absolutely sure that history will vindicate me. We now know what the Supreme Court has decided.

At critical points in my political life, I always ignored the easy but ignoble path and chosen the difficult but dignified path, the path of truth, of morality, of democracy and rule of law.

I always chose freedom over servitude, whatever the personal discomforts my choice entails. When I joined politics, the critical challenge was easing the military out of power so that civilian democratic governance could be restored in Nigeria. It later became a very defining struggle, and, as one of the leaders of that struggle, I was targeted for elimination.

In one incident, nine policemen guarding my home in Kaduna were murdered in an attempt to assassinate me. I was also forced into exile for nine (9) months. In addition, my interest in a logistics company that I co-owned was confiscated and given to friends of the military government. As Vice President in the civilian government that succeeded the military, I, again at great personal cost, chose to oppose the extension of the tenure of the government beyond the two four-year terms enshrined in our constitution.

In response to the official backlash against me, I instituted several cases in the courts, which led to seven landmark decisions that helped to deepen our democracy and rule of law. At the current historic moment, the easier option for me would have been to fold up and retreat after the mandate banditry perpetrated by the APC and INEC.

But I went to the Nigerian courts to seek redress. I even went to an American court to help with unravelling what our state institutions charged with such responsibilities were unwilling or unable to do, including unravelling the qualifying academic records of the person sworn in as our President and by implication, hopefully who he really is.

I offered that evidence procured with the assistance of the American Court to our Supreme Court to help it to do justice in this case. I give this background to underscore that what we are currently dealing with is bigger than one or two presidential elections and is certainly bigger than Atiku Abubakar. It is not about me; it is about our country, Nigeria. It is about the kind of society we want to leave for the next generation and what kind of example we want to set for our children and their children. It is about the reputation of Nigeria and Nigerians in the eyes of the world. We showed incontrovertible evidence that Bola A. Tinubu was not qualified to contest the Presidential Election because he forged the qualifying academic certificate, which he submitted to INEC. In fact, a simple check of Tinubu’s past records in its possession would have shown INEC that Tinubu broke the law and should not have been allowed to contest the election.

We showed irrefutable evidence of gross irregularities, violence, and manipulations during the elections. We showed incontrovertible evidence that INEC violated the Electoral Act and deliberately sabotaged its own publicly announced processes and procedures in order to illegally declare Tinubu elected. The position of the Supreme Court, even though final, leaves so much unanswered.

Even the rebuke by retired Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad is a confirmation from within the apex court that all is not well with the Supreme Court. The court and indeed the judiciary must never lend itself to politicization as it is currently the norm with nearly every institution in Nigeria. By the way, the strong rebuke of the apex court by the revered Justice, who had meritoriously served for more than four decades, should not be swept under the carpet.
The alarm raised by Justice Muhammad and recently, former INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, offer Nigerians an explanation into why the electoral and judicial system have become the lost hope of the common man.

Judges are no longer appointed based on merit but are products of the interplay of politics and nepotism. Worse still, the appointment of electoral officials has also been hijacked by the ruling party as seen in the latest nomination of Resident Electoral Commissioners where card carrying members of the ruling party and aides to politicians in the APC are being appointed into INEC. When two critical institutions like the court and the electoral commission are trapped in an evil web of political machination, it becomes next to impossible for democracy to thrive.

As a stakeholder in the presidential election of February 25, I, along with other well-meaning Nigerians have done my bit in ensuring that our democratic process enjoys the privilege of full disclosure of the character deficiencies of the current political leadership. I also believe that even if the Supreme Court believes otherwise, the purpose of technology in our electoral system is to enhance transparency and not merely as a viewing centre. We have to move with the world and not be stuck in time.

Implications of PEPC and Supreme Court judgments
I leave Nigerians and the world to decide what to make of the Supreme Court’s unfortunate decision. But here’s my take. The judgments of the PEPC and the Supreme Court have very far-reaching grave implications, including the following:

One is the erosion of trust in the electoral system and our democracy. Nigerians witnessed as the National Assembly changed the electoral law to improve transparency in the process. Of particular importance was the introduction of modern technology to help eliminate the recurring incidents of electoral manipulation, particularly during the collation of results. Nigerians and the world also witnessed as the leadership of the INEC, especially its Chairman and National Commissioner for Voter Education reassured Nigerians on national television multiple times that the use of that technology would be mandatory.

The task to Recover Nigeria starts with the States, Senatorial Districts, Federal and Local Constituencies, Local Government Areas, Wards and Polling Units. To this end, I urge all political leaders and elected officials, past and present, at all levels to work in concert with Governor Bala Mohammed, @SenBalaMohammed, to ensure total victory for his re-election bid & victory for all the candidates on the ballot in the 2023 elections

I had the pleasure of kicking off Friday in the company of some of Nigeria’s successful content creators, entrepreneurs and social media stars within the @youthpoliticsng coalition. As a man who came from nothing and persevered in learning and achieving against all odds, these young powerhouses remind me of myself and our nation’s exceptional resilience to succeed.

I will undertake far reaching fiscal restructuring to improve liquidity as well as the management of our fiscal resources. #AtikuAtLCCI First, we will undertake an immediate review of government spending with a view to eliminating all leakages arising from subsidy payments. #AtikuAtLCCI

Climate change is real. The flooding that has followed torrential downpours in towns and villages in Nigeria—like other places around the globe, confirms this. The damage that has been occasioned on account of the floods are troubling. Public social facilities like schools and hospitals have been impacted.

It may be safe to say, however, that no one carries the burden of these floods like our farmers.

Education is the bedrock of every nation. Its benefits are innumerable. The universal attack on education cannot be overlooked. #ProtectEducationFromAttack With wars in conflict zones and outright abandonment in others, several nations have disregarded the importance of education, thus, risking the future of several generations of children.

Last week the National Bureau of Statistics released the GDP figures for Q2 2022. The government has been unreasonably upbeat about the reported growth rate of 3.4%. The plain truth is that the economy is in deeper trouble than the APC-led government is willing to admit.

https://twitter.com/thecableng/status/1564318370278817793

The citizens' level of misery hasn't changed, and the reasons are obvious: first, the key sectors of the economy, notably agriculture, oil and gas (the country's cash cow) and manufacturing (that contributes to jobs), are either growing slowly or declining.

I congratulate Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke on his creation as a Cardinal. I believe that this elevation is not only a recognition for the Bishop of Ekwulobia in Anambra State, the Catholic Bishops Conference, and the Catholic Church but also for Nigeria in general. I pray for more extraordinary grace and wisdom in discharging his assignment.

I commend the @HouseNGR and @NGRSenate for their bipartisan efforts in passing the Nigeria Startup Bill, and I call upon the President to sign the Bill into law. The Nigerian start-up space is one of the largest in Africa, and Nigeria has become a key destination on our continent for Tech talent, with the ICT sub-sector contributing approximately 18.44% of Nigeria's GDP as of the end of Q2 in 2022.

Having keenly observed developments in the power sector within the last 24 hours, I am again convinced that my solution to the electricity crisis, as encapsulated in my Policy Document, My Covenant with Nigerians, remains the most proactive plan to lead Nigeria out of darkness. In this regard, my approach is to first remove the entire electricity value chain from the exclusive list and give states the power to generate, transmit and distribute electricity for themselves.

The people of Kenya have done well so far with the election process. The announcement of the results and declaration of a winner is the crunch time. Even though a winner has emerged, and indeed has to emerge in an electoral contest of this nature, the people of Kenya and certainly its democracy is the greatest winner.

HRH Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff, OFR, Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass Kingdom, is a man of many parts and firsts: Diver, Aviator, Mediator, Arbitrator and Peace Builder. His Majesty is an accomplished administrator of repute, entrepreneur, philanthropist, statesman and all-around sportsman.

Dear @AbuammarUp,

To grow the economy (raise GDP), export more, and stabilise the Naira are all interrelated. Stimulating exports requires a coherent and investor-friendly foreign exchange policy that improves the global competitiveness of domestic enterprises.

https://twitter.com/mindset_tweet/status/1551543250409988101

Larger volume of non-oil exports will earn more foreign exchange for Nigeria, improve our foreign reserves, and help in stabilizing the Naira. All of these will contribute to growth in GDP.

What will I do?

I am reliably informed that there was a total National Grid Collapse at precisely 12:23pm today. This is one collapse too many. It is the 6th time this is happening this year alone. Due to the priority that I place on the power sector upon which the successes of other sectors are hinged, I am proposing innovative financing of infrastructure that will involve the facilitation of a review of the financial, legal, and regulatory environment

Forty six years ago, we lost a real Nigerian hero. A man who gave so much to this nation, and paid the supreme price for the love of Nigeria. I remember the great pride and patriotism Nigerians had after his ‘Africa Has Come of Age’ speech at the Extraordinary Meeting of the Organisation of African Unity in Addis Ababa, on Sunday, January 11, 1976. He saw the future that he never got to live in.

As we celebrate our Independence Day, I urge for unity, even as I remain worried at the declining standard of living of Nigerians. #IndependenceDay2021 I use this opportunity to call on governments at all levels to push policies that will lead to improved standards of living for the average Nigerian. If this is done, I am confident that the future ahead of us will be brighter and better.

Nigeria Is Drifting: We Must Stop Waiting For Godot.

The major challenge facing Nigeria today is that we are drifting. We are not just drifting politically and economically. We are also drifting apart from each other. I have often said that the difference between us is not North and South, but between good and bad. Therefore, those who are good should come together to show those who are bad that we are in the overwhelming majority.

The Time For A Total War On Terror Is Now.
 
The security situation in Nigeria is deteriorating rapidly and ordinary Nigerians are living in fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Nowhere seems to be safe. Farms, markets, schools, homes, mosques, churches, and urban areas are all affected.

The celebration of World Press Freedom Day suggests a twin notion of an independent media and freedom of expression, which is enshrined as a fundamental human right. These two notions have been acknowledged to be indispensable in the working of democracy. #PressFreedom A democracy without press freedom is like having fanciful machinery without an energy source to power it.

Over the past two days, I saw how Iniubong Umoren united Nigerians in a way that was admirable, yet, tragic. This is heart-rending. I call on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to do all within their powers to ensure that justice prevails for her family and all Nigerians. They made great efforts to #FindHinnyHumoren.

World’s Highest Unemployment Rate: Time To Help This Government Help Nigeria. I have never felt so bad at being proven right, as I am by the report from Bloomberg Business on Saturday, March 27, 2021 that Nigeria is to emerge as the nation with the highest unemployment rate on Earth, at just over 33%.