Nurturing Nigeria’s democracy

This is to express our condemnation of the heightened desperation of some Nigerians weaponising the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu with religious and ethnic sentiments for mere political and selfish gains.  It is important at this juncture to appreciate the infallibility of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) which does not contemplate any such […]

This is to express our condemnation of the heightened desperation of some Nigerians weaponising the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu with religious and ethnic sentiments for mere political and selfish gains. 

It is important at this juncture to appreciate the infallibility of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) which does not contemplate any such arrangement in the political space. 

It is thus our humble view that the February 25, 2023, presidential and National Assembly elections outcome is sacrosanct as announced by INEC. 

What is important now is moving forward after the hardship and economic impact experienced before, during and after the elections. 

Those contemplating an Interim National Government should forget it, as such is completely alien to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). The president-elect remains Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

Nigeria has had a successful election even as it is acknowledged that there were some obvious infractions which should be left for the courts to adjudicate. The election tribunals offer legitimate opportunity for losers to contest their claims.

The Board of Trustees of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) represents the conscience of the over 774 LGAs and area councils in Nigeria, and we wish to state that we are, therefore, greatly displeased with such an unfortunate plan and wish to condemn in the strongest terms the alleged plot by some groups of loose cannons and desperate politicians to instigate, mobilise and promote an Interim National Government in Nigeria after the just concluded 2023 presidential election.

Nigerians are urged to be law-abiding and steadfast in nurturing our nascent democracy despite all unguarded utterances with inflamed emotions. 

Nigerians should trust the democratic process against all subterfuge and not to be used by traducers and purveyors of trouble in the interest of over 200 million Nigerians.

An appeal is hereby made to the DSS for immediate arrest and prosecution of these groups of desperate citizens fanning the embers of Interim National Government.

 

Odunayo Ategbero, Chairman, BOT, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON)