Smart Edwards, the leader of the group known as The Natives, says Bola Tinubu won the presidential election, and no one stole the mandate.
Edwards made this statement during a conversation with reporters in Abuja on Monday, ahead of a march to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In response to Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), who asserted that the country does not have a president-elect, Edwards said it was wrong. Even though the elections are still in court, he called on all Nigerians to be patriotic and allow peace to reign.
Edwards cited examples of democracy at work, saying, “In Benue, the APC has a Reverend Father who won the election overwhelmingly against the incumbent. That’s democracy. We saw Peter Obi win an election in Lagos state against the landlord. That’s democracy.
“We saw the Labour Party win an election in FCT Abuja. That’s democracy. We saw an Okada man win an election in Kaduna state. That’s democracy. We saw a woman almost win an election in Adamawa, but it was declared inconclusive. That’s democracy.
“We believe that MKO Abiola’s soul will rest in peace on the day Bola Ahmed Tinubu takes over from President Muhammadu Buhari.
I am also appealing to all Nigerians, in the name of the Almighty God, to please give peace a chance. We can not continue to protest on the streets every day.
“We will be marching to INEC headquarters to tell the commission that no mandate was stolen. Asiwaju won the election and it remained so. Only the tribunal and supreme court can change the decision of INEC.”
