Buhari’s Petition is Weak, Says Yar’Adua
Buhari’s Petition is Weak, Says Yar’Adua
From Juliana Taiwo in Abuja, 10.03.2008,
President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has said former Head of State and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate in the April 21, 2007 presidential election, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has a weak case before the court in respect of the election.
The legal challenge over President Yar’Adua’s victory in the election mounted by Buhari and his Action Congress (AC) counterpart and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has since shifted to the Supreme Court.
Presidential Spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi said yesterday that Yar’Adua was not unaware that Buhari had a very weak case, “as has been repeatedly told by his political party, the ANPP, and his supporters among many other Nigerians.”
“From all indications, the General has a rather weak case in court which, if what we read in the media is correct, may not even enjoy the backing of his own political party. So in effect, the General is swimming against the tide as far as this case is concerned,” he said.
Adeniyi, who fielded questions from State House correspondents in Abuja, also explained why the President had not met with Buhari.
He said Atiku and Buhari’s cases before the court were delaying the meeting.
According to him, President Yar’Adua has promised to meet with Buhari as soon as the electoral battle is over, stressing that any attempt to meet the ANPP candidate now when the matter is still in court will be misconstrued by political opponents.
Adeniyi described the President’s action as “deliberate silence”.
“It is true that President Yar’Adua has not reached out to General Buhari but that is largely out of respect that the General is exploring all the available legal and democratic channels as well as his own abiding belief in the rule of law.
“Since the General is in court challenging the results of the presidential election, which he lost, the President is of the opinion that any overtures could be misconstrued so he would rather want the judicial process completed before reaching out to the ANPP candidate,” he said.
Buhari had said on Wednesday in a chat with the Hausa Service of the Voice of America that he was pressing on with his case at the Supreme Court because President Yar’Adua had not deemed it fit to personally call him or send somebody to him over the matter.
“He (Yar‘Adua) has never called me; and he has never sent anybody to me to plead so that I withdraw the suit against him” Buhari remarked saying that such inaction amounted to being ignored and was a very clear signals that he had to go the whole hog to ensure that justice is done”.
Buhari also said he had shunned pressures by ANPP and some other Northern leaders to withdraw his appeal at the apex court since he was the candidate of seven other political parties during the election.
Adeniyi, however, said the President does not believe in the winner-takes-all politics and as such would be very willing to invite Buhari to join the government in the task of building an enduring Nigeria.
“I am sure the Supreme Court will soon give a final seal on the whole electoral matter and the President is confident he would win after which he will then reach out to Gen. Buhari to join him in the task of moving Nigeria forward.
“As a former leader reputed for his integrity, General Buhari definitely has a lot to still contribute to our nation and I am sure President Yar’Adua would not hesitate to reach out to him once the case at the Supreme Court is won and lost,” he said.
