Hayatu-Deen Rules Out Legal Challenge After Meeting Atiku, Urges United Opposition

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The reconciliation shuttle by Atiku Abubukar may have started yielding fruits as one of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC),  Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has announced that he would not challenge the outcome of the May 25, presidential primaries in court, despite initially expressing concerns over alleged irregularities and procedural lapses during the exercise.

Atiku on Sunday visited Hayatudeen in his Lagos residence in a closed door meeting.

In a reflective post-primary statement titled “My Campaign, The Silent Majority, and the Future of Our Democracy,” Hayatu-Deen described his campaign as a movement inspired by what he called Nigeria’s “silent majority”, citizens, who still believed in competent, principled and visionary leadership.

While acknowledging disappointment with the conduct of the primary, he said the need for a strong and united opposition must remain greater than individual ambition.

He thanked supporters across the country and urged Nigerians not to accept dysfunction as normal, insisting that the larger struggle to build a fairer and more prosperous Nigeria continues.

“On Tuesday, 26 May, before the commencement of the collation of results for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, I issued the following statement on my social media handles:

“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed.

“How can the ADC criticise INEC for election interference and the falsification of results, and yet tolerate the same within its own house? I will therefore be taking advice on my next steps.

‘’History often changes quietly before it changes visibly. And every enduring national transformation begins with citizens who do not stop believing that a better future is possible.

‘’This campaign may have come to an end, but the larger task of building a stronger, fairer and more prosperous Nigeria continues. And that cause remains worthy of our collective effort.’’, he stated