Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Presidential Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for shopping for endorsements and "begging" United States President, Joe Biden, to call to congratulate Bola Tinubu.
The APC PCC Director of New Media, Femi Fani-Kayode, had taken to Twitter to say that although the US State Department had congratulated Tinubu, there was a need for Biden to add his voice as both the US and Nigeria shared a historic relationship.
"Yes, the American State Department and the American Ambassador to Nigeria both congratulated Asiwaju. For this, we are eternally grateful, and it reflects a measure of respect. However, it's time for Joe (Biden) to pick up the phone and add his voice. We are a big nation: we deserve no less," Fani-Kayode tweeted.
Responding in a statement on behalf of Atiku, Special Assistant on Public Communication to the PDP Presidential Candidate, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said Fani-Kayode's remarks were evidence of desperation.
Shaibu described Fani-Kayode's action as appalling even as he called on Tinubu and his team to stop forcing foreign countries to recognise the "sham election conducted by INEC".
He added, "After being the beneficiary of the worst and most fraudulent election in the history of Nigeria, Tinubu and his ilk are now running from pillar to post, begging Western powers to recognise Tinubu. This is the height of desperation.
"It is reminiscent of the Sani Abacha days where the maximum ruler tried to ingratiate himself with the West after refusing to recognise MKO Abiola as the winner of June 12 election and deciding to seize power over a people that did not want him.
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"Even the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, stated expressly that Nigeria's election was below the expectation of Nigerians. Several credible media houses locally and internationally, as well as EU observers, have all questioned the credibility of this election. Yet, Tinubu and his ilk want a stamp of approval on it? What a joke!"
Shaibu noted that even Chatham House, an independent policy institute based in London, in an analysis by one of its fellows said the February 25 presidential election showed that the Independent National Electoral Commission failed to learn new lessons.
The London-based Think Tank had stressed that the electoral umpire failed to adhere to its own guidelines, which it put in place before the poll, especially the one bordering on the uploading of results in real-time.
Atiku's aide advised Tinubu's campaign team to save their strength for the legal challenge in the coming weeks rather than beg the US President to recognise his tainted mandate.
