Reneging on his earlier promise not to contest the outcome of Saturday’s presidential election in Nigeria, one of the losing candidates in the election, Muhammadu Buhari, has said he will mount a legal challenge against the outcome of the poll. Buhari’s spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said in a statement that the legal team of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) – Buhari’s party – was already working on the challenge. “We have commenced consultations at the highest levels to recover your stolen mandate. I would, therefore, urge you to continue to be patient.” the statement quoted Buhari as saying. Buhari also appealed to his supporters not to burn their voters cards out of frustration, but to use them to vote out those who “stole your votes” in the 26 April governorship election.
Spontaneous violence broke out in several states in the Muslim north, the base of Buhari’s CPC, after it became clear that Jonathan has won the election.
Angry youth carrying machetes, sticks and fuel killed and maimed hundreds, while also setting ablaze the homes of identified supporters of Jonathan in the north.
President Jonathan, saying enough is enough, has directed the security forces to use ‘justifiable force’ to quell the riots.
The CPC had already petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging that the results from some parts of the Christian south were tampered with to give victory to Jonathan’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).