Renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has flayed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly abandoning its guidelines in the conduct of last weekend’s presidential election that produced All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, as winner.
By that singular act, Nigeria, according to him, has been under intense pressure manifest in the series of nationwide protests greeting INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s pronouncement of Tinubu as President-elect
Reacting to rejection of the result by Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other developments in the polity via a statement, yesterday, in Kaduna, Gumi advised the aggrieved parties to seek redress in court, warning that if justice is denied, the nation might be plunged into chaos.
He, however, warned against violent protests, citing the country’s myriads of problems and its current overheated nature.
The statement reads: “I implore the opposition parties, as an obligatory national duty, to go to the election tribunal and up to the Supreme Court to re-establish the supremacy of law and to teach our younger generation the value of resolving disputes through legal means rather than violence.
“The polity is already very tense, and any government that lacks credibility cannot suppress the people, especially at this troubling time when every region has armed agitating groups that are willing to exploit political instability to augment their rebellion.
“Let the entire litigation process run its course. It has a great deal of importance for our national health.
“The INEC has failed the nation by sowing more distrust and suspicion because it failed to follow its own guidelines in conducting last week’s elections.
“Fortunately, that is the first step in seeking legitimacy. Therefore, aggrieved parties should go to court.
“We sincerely hope the courts of law this time will also prove their worth and uphold the truth. It’s the last hope that Nigerians can resort to, otherwise, it will lead to chaos that no other force can contain as the nation is already polarised along religious and tribal fault lines.
“Nigeria is our only country. We have to save it from calamity by acting bravely, honestly free from political hypocrisy that requires putting thorny issues under the rug.
“May Allah protect us from all tribulations and give this nation peace and tranquility, Amin.”
