Ayo Adebanjo, a factional chief of the Pan-African Yoruba group, Afenifere, mentioned he has proof that Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari rigged his re-election in February.
“I keep my stand that till the Supreme Courtroom guidelines that he’s validly elected, I can’t recognise him. We’ve proof that the election was rigged, let the courtroom determine in any other case. That’s all I’m saying,” Adebanjo mentioned in response to the decision for his arrest for treason by Nationwide Democratic Entrance (NDF).
Adebanjo had, in February, described the 2019 presidential election ‘as a joke’. He insisted he is not going to recognise Buhari, who was declared the winner of the election by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), as president.
“Proper now, Buhari is the president declared by INEC and never the person who gained the election, and the structure says in case you are not glad by that declaration, go to the tribunal,” Adebanjo mentioned.
The Adebanjo-led faction of Afenifere didn’t help Buhari’s election for the second time period throughout the campaigns. As an alternative, his Afenifere group endorsed Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Folks’s Democratic Celebration (PDP) to unseat Buhari after the election.
However Buhari was declared the winner of the election. He polled 15, 191, 847 votes whereas Abubakar, a former Nigerian vp between 1999 and 2007, bought 11, 262, 978 votes.
Unhappy with the election end result, Atiku, who alleged the election was rigged is at the moment difficult the presidential election end result on the Election Tribunal.
Whereas the tribunal remains to be listening to the case, Adebanjo mentioned Buhari would solely be away from the election rigging allegations if he’s declared because the winner by the Supreme Courtroom.
“I’ll solely recognise him if the courtroom guidelines that he’s the rightful winner. That’s my place and whether it is an offence to comply with what the structure says, then I’m able to go to jail,” Adebanjo mentioned.
Adebanjo believes his utterance shouldn’t be a treasonable offence. “By my pronouncement, I’ve not mentioned something unlawful or unconstitutional.”