The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on Wednesday congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in Saturday’s presidential election.
The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the body, Malam Shakirudeen Olofin, gave the congratulatory message while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), early Wednesday declared Buhari as winner of the Feb. 23 election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, while declaring the results, said Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 11,255,978 votes.
Olofin said the president’s victory was well-deserved as it reflected the will of the generality of Nigerians.
The IPAC chairman added that the re-election of Buhari would enable him to consolidate on the gains of his administration in the last three and half years.
“We congratulate the president on his re-election in the Feb. 23 polls and we have no doubt that the Nigerian have spoken through the results.
“Our assessment is that the president has done a lot in the last three and a half years to correct the mistakes of the past and bring real progress to the country.
“Therefore, his re-election is a great thing as it will enable him to consolidate on the gains of his administration and deliver more democratic dividends.
“We congratulate him again with the high hope he would live up to the promise to take the country to the Next Level”, he said.
He commended INEC for delivering what he described as “largely peaceful and credible polls.”
He said in spite of hitches, INEC was able to deliver an election that made the country proud.
He urged political stakeholders to put pre-polls politics behind them and join efforts to build a united and prosperous Nigeria.
The IPAC chairman, however, appealed to parties opposed to the election results not to heat up the political space, but seek redress in the appropriate quarters of the law.
“The election has come and gone and a winner has emerged.
“Political stakeholders should put all the issues before the polls behind them and join efforts to build a better Nigeria.
‘”Again, we appeal to those who are rejecting the results to do it in the right way.
“Yes, it is their right to doubt and reject results if they have evidences, but they should not go about it in ways that threatens the peace and unity of the country.
“The courts are there to listen to them. They should channel their grievances through the courts for possible redress,” he said
