Opposition kicks as U.S., other World Powers extend fellowship pledge to Tinubu

…Secretary of State, Blinken calls Tinubu, begins collaboration talk

…I’m in disbelief, Blinken’s call acknowledgement of fraudulent election — Atiku cries

…APC ought to have presented Osinbajo -— Obi

…Storms Court for suit to stop Tinubu

By Moses Adeniyi

As more signs point toward the  swearing-in of President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on May 29, attempts by opposition to explore court instrument to stop the inauguration 11 days to the swearing-in looks gloomy. World Powers among which include the United States of America have begun to reach out, throwing their flags of goodwill with pledges of support for the incoming government upon inauguration.

However, the development has angered the opposition camp, particularly those on the frontline of the 2023 presidential election contest.

In its pledge of support, the U.S. has assured President-elect, Tinubu, of commitment to further strengthening the U.S.-Nigeria relationship with the incoming administration.

The U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, in a statement by U.S. State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller, gave the assurance during a telephone conversation when on Tuesday, he put a call through to Tinubu to discuss issues of interest.

According to the statement, Blinken noted that the U.S.-Nigeria partnership was built on shared interests and strong people-to-people ties and that those links should continue to strengthen under President-elect Tinubu’s tenure.

It was stated he also discussed the importance of inclusive leadership that represents all Nigerians, continued comprehensive security cooperation, and reforms to support economic growth with the president elect.

Also, a corresponding statement from the media Office of the President-elect signed by Tunde Rahman, disclosed that that Tinubu in the 20 minutes long conversation, promised to hit the ground running and unify the Country upon his assumption of office on May 29.

The statement added that he further pledged to work to ensure continued positive relations with the United States.

“Asíwájú Tinubu spoke during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Initiated by the U.S. diplomat, the telephone discussion, which was frank and friendly, took place on Tuesday evening.

“The President-elect said his immediate priorities would be to deliver institutional reforms and development programs to deepen our democratic institutions and bring help to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

“He also expressed his determination to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and faithfully serve the people as their president.

“During the talks that lasted about 20 minutes, President-elect Tinubu recalled being granted asylum by the U.S. when he was forced on exile during his struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria, and while reaffirming his democratic bona fides, expressed his absolute belief that the result of the elections, which he clearly won, reflected the will of the Nigerian people.

“He further urged the U.S. to factor in Nigeria’s important place in Africa and provide needed assistance in the areas of security and economic investment in order for the nation to lead the way and be a shining example to the rest of the continent.

“Secretary Blinken assured that Nigeria should expect a good and mutually-beneficial relationship with the US.

“He promised to play his part in ensuring and sustaining a cordial relationship between the two nations, saying a democratic and peaceful Nigeria is important to the United States as it is to Africa.

“Both President-elect Tinubu and Secretary Blinken ended their discussion with pleasant greetings and a promise to keep the channels of dialogue and communication open, whilst maintaining a strong relationship between the two nations,” the statement stated.

…Opposition kicks

However, protest from the opposition camp has greeted the pledge of support and collaboration talk.

Reacting to Blinken’s conversation with the President-elect, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, described as “demoralising and acknowledgement of a fraudulent election in Nigeria,” the conversation.

Atiku in a statement via his verified Twitter handle on Wednesday, expressed shock in what he saw as a “disbelief” the conversation of the telephone call, describing the action as “inconceivable.”

Atiku who said the call was a contradiction to the US position earlier expressed on the election, said, “I am in disbelief that @SecBlinken called Tinubu, a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the U.S. on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. This is inconceivable considering that America, as the bastion of democracy, is well briefed on the sham election of February 25.

“To give legitimacy to the widely acknowledged fraudulent election in Nigeria can be demoralising to citizens who have hedged their bet on democracy and the sanctity of the ballot.”

…APC ought to have presented Osinbajo, not Tinubu — Obi

Meanwhile in further contest against the emergence of Tinubu as the President-elect, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, on Wednesday, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) ought to have presented Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as its candidate for the election.

Arguing the Party by so doing would have succeeded in moving Nigeria forward by the decision, Obi who was captured in a 52-second video that went viral on social media while exchanging pleasantries with some guests at Dele Momodu’s 63rd birthday in London, said he had one time confronted the leadership of the APC, submitting that if they genuinely wanted Nigeria to work as a progressive Country, they should concede the presidential ticket to Osinbajo for the 2023 election.

“I am desperate to see Nigeria working, I can’t hide it. I even confronted them if you want it, why didn’t you bring Osinbajo so that we can have people who want to work for the Country?

“Nigeria needs a healthy person and someone like him working 24 hours. Let’s have the place working for everyone,” he said.

Obi, who came third in the presidential election, is also as well as Atiku protesting in court the declaration of Tinubu as winner of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Obi who appeared in Court on Wednesday for a petition he had filed to challenge Tinubu’s victory,  has alleged that the election was fraught with various irregularities including the non-qualification of Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, to contest the election.

He also alleged that Tinubu failed to win the majority of the lawful votes cast in the election, and just as he could not secure one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Obi also challenged that the election was conducted in substantial non-compliance with the provision of the law.

Following the resumption of the sitting on Wednesday, the Court adjourned to Friday, May 19, 2023, for the pre-hearing of Obi’s petition against Tinubu.

The Court headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned the matter, following the failure of parties in the petition to agree on documents among other technicalities.

Recall that though there were other candidates, the Feb. 25 presidential election was keenly contested among Atiku, Obi who came second and third respectively, and are currently contesting the outcome of the election with Tinubu who was declared winner and President-elect, after pulling 8,794,726 majority votes.