National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, has called on his political associates to brace for an opposition role they will play in the next four years.
He also urged candidates at the Saturday’s governorship/state legislature elections to accept results of the polls.
He advised politicians to see the results as a reflection of the people’s will, which they must respect.
The party chieftain took to Twitter to give the advice on Sunday while results of the polls were being announced in different parts of the country.
In a series of tweets, Mu’azu urged politicians to be wary of the peace of Nigeria, saying they should be mindful of their role as builders.
His counsel was directed to all losers irrespective of their political parties. He, however, singled out PDP members, directing them to prepare to offer Nigerians a robust opposition platform in the next four years.
“The huge task of rebuilding the party and providing the needed opposition is the new task ahead of you, I am very sure you can do that.
“We all have a country to build, not destroy. Our great party will play a major role in the next four years,” he tweeted.
The PDP leader urged losers to shun self-help even when they have genuine grievances. Rather than resorting to violence, he said, they should seek redress at election tribunals.
He said, “Do not attack perceived political opponents or those you feel might have compromised the electoral process. If you must protest against election results, use the election petition tribunals. Do not take the laws into your hands.
“We, as leaders, must always be mindful that the people have the final say in determining and deciding who govern them. As election results come in, remain peaceful and accept the will of the people.”
Mu’azu specifically called on supporters of the PDP to remain calm and peaceful in the face of all odds.
Meanwhile, a former presidential candidate and publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, rose in defence of the Igbo who have been attacked on social media for allegedly mortgaging their chance to clinch senate presidency in the incoming administration.
Momodu said the Igbo never sold any chance but made a choice like other groups did.
Some tweeters, including one Bruce Valentine, sought to know the fate of Easterners, who he claimed sold their political prospect by voting en masse for the PDP’s candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, at the recent presidential poll.
But Momodu, an advocate of liberal politics, responded, “It will be great to see people rise above sectional and tribal sentiments. The Igbo sold nothing; democracy is about choice. Another chance will come.”
In another series of tweets, the publisher said he supported the President-elect, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to save the country from a further collapse and not for envisaged personal gain.
Momodu, whose Twitter following is over 500,000, keyed into his social media popularity to support Buhari during the presidential campaign.
He called on Nigerians to bury the bitter memory of the campaign and move on as one indivisible people.
“Those who worked hard to block Buhari’s victory must be wondering what they did right or wrong and wishing they did otherwise. Today, I wish to publicly forgive all those ill-mannered kids who abused me and my parents just for exercising my right of free opinion.
“I did not support Buhari because I wanted anything but because I realised we must arrest Nigeria’s speedy drift towards perdition. We should all forgive our bitter experiences and embrace one another as one people, while working for the overall good of our nation.”
He called on Nigerians to pray for the success of the incoming administration.
A former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, said Nigerians should not doubt the ability of the Buhari administration to deliver on its promises.
“With the quality of people Nigerians have elected to serve them, we have no excuse to fail. We must complement that by appointing sound minds,” he tweeted on Sunday.
Saraki pledged to maintain the discussion he has had with his Twitter followers, saying the platform is one of the best “places to feel the pulse of the nation.”
