The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged United States President, Donald Trump, to emulate his Nigerian counterpart on how to handle defeat after losing an election.
In a statement by the party’s Secretary of Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, John Akpanudoedehe, titled, ‘The integrity of a leader is as important as strong institutions’, the party condemned the US Capitol Building riot by pro-Trump protesters.
The APC also faulted Trump’s refusal to concede defeat in the United States 2020 presidential election stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari contested and lost in elections several times but followed due process through to the Supreme Court.
The statement read, “The events of the past 72 hours in the United States of America are to say the least condemnable. Over time, the elections of the US have been used as a touchstone for elections in other democracies.
“It is settled that strong institutions are fundamental to the sustenance of democracies. However, this US election saga strongly underscores the fact that the integrity of the country’s leader essentially complements the workings of institutions.
“President Muhammadu Buhari contested and lost elections a number of times and followed the process through to the Supreme Court on all accounts. This is an outstanding credential of a true democrat.
“Upon ultimately gaining victory in 2015, the APC-led administration has carried out fundamental reforms to strengthen our institutions.
“For instance, non-interference in the functions of the Independent National Electoral Commission. The APC has contested elections; won some, lost some without splitting hairs. In fact, at some point, the APC lost over five states to the Peoples Democratic Party, yet we allowed democracy to prevail. We have remained resolute in our belief that in every electoral contest, popular will must prevail.”
The opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had earlier written to the APC to stop ‘unpatriotic practice of putting narrow partisan interests above the national interest’.
Akpanudoedehe, in the statement, also faulted the position of the PDP, stating that it was merely designed to gain political mileage and reinforce disinformation.
He said, “This is a far-cry from the days of the do-or-die politics of the PDP, where civilians took control of the security apparatus to subvert the people’s will and determine the outcome of elections.
“Electoral reform is a core plank of the programmes of the APC-led administration and a legacy that Mr. President has promised to bequeath to Nigerians.
“Therefore the statements by the PDP are merely designed to gain political mileage and they only reinforce the disinformation on all issues, which the PDP constantly and laboriously pursues at all times. The positions taken by the PDP governors against these institutional reforms are in the public domain.”
