No mandate was stolen | Tinubu won the election, say protesters in Abuja

A group known as The Natives says no mandate was stolen and Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, won the presidential election.

Speaking with reporters in Abuja on Monday before a march to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Smart Edwards, leader of the group, said Nigerians must not allow a repeat of the June 12 experience.

Nigerians went to the poll on June 12, 1993, to elect a president. The late Moshood Abiola, popularly known as MKO and the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), was presumed to be the winner of the election that was widely judged as free and fair.

The election was later annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, a former military ruler.

Edwards said it was wrong for Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), to assert that the country does not have a president-elect.

“We call on everybody, whether the young people who are hurt or the APC who are also hurt, or PDP who are hurt or LP, NNPP, and others, to allow peace to reign and be patriotic,” Edwards said.

“The elections are over, but the elections are still in court, please give Nigeria a chance to grow.

“In Benue, the APC has a Reverend Father who won the election overwhelmingly against the incumbent, that’s democracy. We saw Peter Obi win an election in Lagos state against the landlord, that’s democracy.

“We saw the Labour Party win an election in FCT Abuja, that’s democracy. We saw an Okada man win an election in Kaduna state, that’s democracy. We saw a woman almost win an election in Adamawa, but was declared inconclusive, that’s democracy.

“We believe that MKO Abiola’s soul will rest in peace on the day Bola Ahmed Tinubu takes over from President Muhammadu Buhari. I am also appealing in the name of the Almighty God to all Nigerians to please give peace a chance. We can not continue to protest on the streets every day.

“We will be marching to INEC headquarters to tell the commission that no mandate was stolen. Asiwaju won the election and it remained so. Only the tribunal and supreme court can change the decision of INEC.”