Buhari hints at going to court if he loses presidential poll

President Muhammadu Buhari has hinted at seeking redress in court if next month’s election does not end in his favour.

Buhari gave the indication when he featured on The Candidates, a programme on the elections.

Kadaira Ahmed, executive director of Daria Media and anchor of The Candidates, had asked Buhari if he would accept the outcome of an unfavourable election.

In his response, the president spoke of the massive crowd that has welcomed his campaign team to different states.

He spoke as if he was confident of victory in the exercise but when Ahmed pressed him further on his reaction to the reelection, he said: “This would not be the first time I would lose an election and every time I lost, I went to court without resorting to violence,” he said.

“I eventually won after God granted me the post as well as the advent of the PVC.”

He also made an indirect reference to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) case of Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Reacting to the allegations that the anti-corruption war is one-sided, he said: “Well, I think it’s unfair criticism. I don’t think there is anybody in this administration that has been pointed out as corrupt and we looked in the other direction.

“When I came in 1984, we arrested the president, vice-president and ministers. They were all under investigation for corruption. But this time around, it is different. People are not just arrested based on allegations. There are ongoing investigation.

“I decided to come now, and now I have to be careful because people are not just arrested like that. If they make the wrong declaration, and they are eventually uncovered, they face the court.”

Asked to clarify if he was referring to Onnoghen, Buhari stylishly avoided the question.

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) had filed a six-count charge of false assets declaration against Onnoghen after a petition by the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI).

The president also spoke on the bribery allegations levelled against Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano state.

In videos published by Daily Nigerian, an online platform, Ganduje was allegedly seen receiving kickbacks.

At the programme, Buhari said he would not want to comment on it because the matter was in court and the state assembly had taken some before being restrained by the court.

He also questioned the extent of technology used in the videos, wondering why a governor would smile while stuffing dollars in his pocket.

He asked if there was no one to collect on his behalf.