The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has called on former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, to concede defeat in the just-concluded presidential election and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari.
Similarly, the ACF also called on the President elect, Muhammad Buhari, to ensure his new administration kept to its promise of strengthening the nation’s unity and inclusiveness in government, so that no section or group of the country ”is left behind or left out”.
In a statement issued in Kaduna Wednesday by Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, its National Publicity Secretary, the ACF congratulated President Buhari on his victory at the polls, adding that his re-election has “signaled a new regime in our democratic process.”
The statement read: “The 2019 Presidential election is another milestone in the nation’s election history in view of the keen contest between the two major contenders in the persons of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR of All Progressive Congress, APC, and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
“The successful conclusion of this election, despite some of the ugly incidences witnessed in some parts of country in terms of ballot box snatching, killings, security challenges and other logistic problems, shows that Nigerians have clearly demonstrated their resolve to move forward and consolidate the gains of multiparty democracy.
“Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, therefore, congratulates all Nigerians for their resilience, commitment and courage in exercising their civic responsibility amid challenges that are natural concomitant of such tasks and responsibilities.
“ACF equally congratulates Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the just-concluded 2019 presidential election.
“Of equal importance, the ACF salutes the courage of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for putting up a gallant fight with an impressive performance in the presidential election.
“The forum calls on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of PDP as a committed democrat, who cherishes peaceful democratic transition, to accept the will of the people, concede defeat and congratulate President Buhari on his well-deserved victory at the just concluded elections, especially as there are credible evidence that the elections have been generally peaceful, free and fair.
”Such concession on the part of the main challenger would be in the overall interest of Nigeria and place him among global democrats.”
