By Joe Biden has been urged by Mr. Oyakhilome Bello, the national youth leader of the APC in the United States, to defend Nigeria’s democracy against those who favor an interim national government or military takeover.
Bello made the plea, according to a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja, at a rally hosted by the APC USA chapter, led by Prof. Adesegun Labinjo, and held in Lafayette Park in Washington, DC’s South West Quadrant.
He said that the purpose of the gathering was to counter an opposition camp protest that had been organized in response to Sen. Bola Tinubu’s election as president-elect and the results of Nigeria’s presidential election on February 25.
He noted that the purpose of the demonstration was to support the incoming president and to inform the public that Tinubu had won the election.
“The purpose of the gathering is to demonstrate support for a mandate that Nigerians voluntarily granted to Tinubu at the polls and to inform the world that he is the election’s victor, as determined by INEC, Nigeria’s electoral body.
The APC USA Youth Leader declared, “We have come too far to let some few handpicked people ruin everything we have created over the decades. Hence, we will safeguard the voice of the majority of Nigerian electorates.”
He added that while Nigeria’s democracy was still young, it had already made significant progress and should not be put at risk by the opposition camp’s use of coercion or blackmail.
Sen. Kashim Shettima, the vice president-elect, and Tinubu, the president-elect, would be sworn in on May 29.
In what he called a credible, free, and fair election on February 25, Bello, who identified himself as a member of the Nigerian electorate, said opposition parties should accept loss with honor.
“This is most unpatriotic and undemocratic behavior,” he said. “I find it hard to believe that some few individuals who are unhappy with the outcome of the election results will go to the extent of calling for an Interim National Government, or a military takeover as against a democratically elected government instead of accepting defeat.”
The APC U.S.A. Youth Leader also urged Nigerians to band together and cooperate with the incoming president and vice president for the benefit of the nation.
He continued by saying that now that the elections were finished, it was time to rally around a Nigeria that was in everyone’s best interests.
Dele Alade, the Chairman of the APC U.S.A. Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Emeka Molokwu, Prince Henry Adesanya, Mr. Adeleke Lamoriyu, and Prof. Andrew Ifemidayo were among those identified in the statement as being present at the event. (NAN)
