Why recruit thugs when we are winning? | Nairalaw

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), has expressed confidence that he is coasting to
victory in the election.

The former vice-president also denied allegations by the ruling
party that his camp recruited thugs to disrupt the election,
wondering why the PDP would do so “when we are winning”.

The presidential election which was marred by widespread
violence is believed to be a close contest between Abubakar and
President Muhammadu Buhari.

While the results were coming in, the All Progressives Congress
(APC) campaign organisation alleged that the PDP was recruiting
thugs to disrupt the process.

But in a statement issued on his behalf by Phrank Shaibu, his
aide, Atiku asked Buhari to instead call the “wilder elements” in
his party to order.

Atiku also thanked PDP supporters who “conducted themselves so
peacefully despite the significant provocations and threats of
violence.”

“General Buhari you have promised our people and the world that
you would conduct ‘free, fair and credible elections’ so please
call off the wilder elements within your party and deliver on your
promise,” he said.

“I am familiar with how brazen and the complete lack of shame
the APC can exhibit, but even I was shocked to witness just how low
they went last night by accusing the PDP of ‘recruiting armed
thugs’ to do just that. Why would we want to do that when we are
winning?”

He also thanked his supporters for voting for him en masse in
the election, adding that with the PDP’s cloud-based SVC system –
which is collating real-time results from the polling units, he
could guarantee “victory was at hand.”

He said: “With strong shares of vote in SS, SE as well as an
increased share in SW and NC we are very pleased with the progress
the PDP has made. We look forward to sharing some exciting news in
other parts of the country very soon, which will confound all the
armchair pundits.

“The people of Nigeria can take solace that very soon the living
Nightmare of the last four years will come to an end so that
together we will get Nigeria working again.”