Atiku Expresses Optimism over Election ...Asks why hire thugs when we are winning?

The presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said the initial indications from his party's Simultaneous Vote Count (SVC) had indicated that victory is assured for him and his party in last Saturday's presidential and National Assembly polls.

The former vice president, who expressed gratitude to Nigerians for turning out to vote for him in their millions, said in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr.  Phrank Shaibu, that with technology deployed by his party, he has been able to keep a close tab on the results.

According to the statement, with the PDP’s high tech, cloud-based SVC system - which is able to collate in real-time the results from the 176, 000 voting points across the country - the presidential candidate could boldly assure his supporters that victory was at hand.

“With strong shares of vote in South-South, South-East as well as an increased share in South-West and North-Central we are very pleased with the progress the PDP has made.  We look forward to sharing some exciting news in other parts of the country very soon, which will confound all the armchair pundits.

"The people of Nigeria can take solace that very soon the living Nightmare of the last four years will come to an end so that together we will get Nigeria working again," he stated.

Atiku, therefore, spoke on the need for Nigerians to maximise their eternal vigilance in the next 48 hours to prevent the majority votes recorded at the polling units from being disrupted by force by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the collation centres.

“I am familiar with how brazen and the complete lack of shame the APC can exhibit, but even I was shocked to witness just how low they went last night by accusing the PDP of ‘recruiting armed thugs’ to do just that.  Why would we want to do that when we are winning?

“Furthermore, I would like to say how proud I was of PDP supporters who conducted themselves so peacefully despite the significant provocations and threats of violence, removal and burning of ballot boxes and the likes.

“I would like to sincerely thank the millions of people who, despite having to bear the additional burden of a postponed election, came out yesterday to vote for me and the other PDP candidates standing in this election," Atiku stated.

He also thanked the security forces and election officials who in the main conducted their duties with exemplary professionalism but tasked President Buhari on his promise of a free and fair election.

He urged President Buhari to walk his talk.

“General Buhari you have promised our people and the world that you would conduct ‘free, fair and credible elections’ so please call off the wilder elements within your party and deliver on your promise," he stated.