Atiku’s aide: Lagosians should reject Sanwo-Olu | Tinubu’s victory will be short-lived

Phrank Shaibu, special assistant on public communications to Atiku Abubakar, says the “pyrrhic” victory of Bola Tinubu at the February 25 presidential poll will be “short-lived”.

In a statement on Saturday, Shaibu said Tinubu was rejected in Lagos at the presidential poll despite anchoring his campaign on his records in the state.

The media aide asked Nigerians to “reject” Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, at the March 11 governorship election in the state.

“Tinubu’s pyrrhic victory will be short-lived. The stolen crown balances on his head precariously. He will continue to shake until he drops it,” Shaibu said.

“It is funny that Lagos was the fulcrum of Tinubu’s campaign as he promised to replicate the miracle of Lagos across Nigeria, and yet the people of Lagos rejected him on the day of election.

“Tinubu lost in Ikeja local government where he had voted and also lost in Bourdillon, Ikoyi where he lives. Rather than accept the will of the people, he unleashed thugs on the people he claimed to love.

“Jennifer Efidi Bima was hit in the face by Tinubu’s hounds in Surulere. Her blood-stained ballot paper is a testament to the resolve of the people as he still lost in Lagos despite the violence.

“Ahead of the governorship election, Tinubu will once again relocate to Lagos, where he will try to unleash violence on the people in order to ensure that his puppet, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is re-elected. Nigerians must rise up against such tyranny.”

On March 1, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election.

The result was rejected by major opposition parties and the conduct of the election was criticised by some international and local media platforms.

Shaibu said Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, commended Jim Risch, a US senator, for taking a position that the election was marred with irregularities.

The PDP presidential candidate also commended the Guardian Newspaper of London, the Financial Times of London, and The PUNCH for their editorials on the conduct of the presidential election.

Risch, a member of the US senate foreign relations committee, had asked the US government not to rush and embrace the results of the poll.