Buhari’s Mandate Illegitimate, CUPP Insists

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s presidential election as the worst election in history, claiming the mandate is illegitimate.

At a press conference held wednesday in Abuja, the spokesperson of CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere alleged that President Buhari insulted Nigerians’ sensibilities and raped her electoral decency.

The opposition coalition noted that in a bid to hang on to power with alleged crooks under him, the president murdered democracy.

“Only a person who lacks understanding will congratulate a man who set out to burn down our electoral system. We ask, how do you accept this madness? Accepting this without as much as stiff resistance and exposing the fraud that was committed by President Buhari and the APC in this election is the recipe for future stealing of votes and massive voter apathy since voters will not have confidence in the system and this vicious cycle will continue perpetually. There must be an end to vote stealing.

“President Buhari refused to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. His supporters aided by security forces burnt card readers, stole electoral materials and sabotaged distribution,” CUPP said.

It alleged that soldiers, acting on Buhari’s instruction against court judgment chased Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents out of collation centres, while returning officers were held at gunpoint with security forces watching as was the case in Imo State where the returning officer was made to announce fake figures.

“In Akwa Ibom State, votes were destroyed and cancelled to reduce figures. In Lagos State, he supported ethnic violence. Votes, for the first time were burnt because of President Buhari. Hundreds of thousands of citizens in Sabon Gari in Kano never voted because President Buhari ensured they never did because he was afraid he did not have their votes.

“He planned this onslaught on the people because he already knew he failed to perform and that the people had rejected him,” CUPP said.

CUPP lamented that nobody was shot dead for ballot snatching but rather innocent Nigerian voters and citizens opposing the robbery were killed in Kogi, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Delta States, among others, by security forces.

The opposition coalition further alleged that President Buhari had penciled down his stooges to take over and run the parliament.

“Ahmad Lawan as Senate President, Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker, Ovie Omo-Agege as Deputy Senate President with Abdulmimin Jibrin as Deputy Speaker. Cross party alliances must be formed to upstage him again.

“It is now obvious to Nigerians why President Buhari destroyed the Supreme Court and violently and undemocratically removed the Chief Justice of Nigeria even against the clear provisions of the Constitution,” CUPP said.

The opposition parties coalition said the alleged cooked figures will not recognise Buhari as the holder of legitimate mandate beyond May 29, 2019.

“We will do everything within civil and legal means to stop his enjoyment of a mandate soaked in the blood of his people. We assure all Nigerians that the CUPP shall, starting from today, continue to lead the struggle to expose him and ensure what he stole is returned by the force of law,” the CUPP spokesman assured.