Atiku Abubakar Addresses Press, Affirms Commitment to Constitutional Governance and Transparency

Former Vice President of Nigeria and 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, held a press conference at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre on October 5th, 2023. Addressing the press and fellow citizens, he emphasized the importance of political leadership, active citizenship, and upholding the ground rules of elective government.

Atiku acknowledged the significance of political leadership and citizens working together to build a country that benefits everyone. He highlighted the duty of leaders to advance the well-being of the people and the country’s standing in the world. Reflecting on his generation’s efforts to restore democracy, Atiku stressed the need to respect and defend the rules established by the constitution for legitimate governance.

The press conference specifically addressed issues related to electoral certificates and the time it takes for institutions to establish their credibility. Atiku expressed concern about the delay in resolving such matters and the impact on the country’s reputation. He called on citizens and leaders to re-dedicate themselves to the constitution and the principles of legitimate governance.

Atiku extended gratitude to lawyers in Nigeria and the United States who assisted in clarifying issues surrounding certificates. He paid tribute to the late human rights activist Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who inspired the journey of discovering the truth. Atiku also commended the role of journalists, citing the importance of media in maintaining vigilance and exposing truths that may be overlooked by other branches of government.

In closing, Atiku expressed appreciation for the work of independent journalist David Hundeyin and praised Nigerian youths and citizen journalists for their commitment to truth and transparency. He concluded by affirming his dedication to democracy and constitutional governance, emphasizing that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

See full text below;

Gentlemen of the Press, Fellow Citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I consider it important to address and report to you today on issues that define the future of elective government and legitimate leadership in our country. Political leadership and active citizenship matter because they are ways through which we all work together to build a country that works for all who live in it.

Our country is bigger than any of us, and its standing in the world affects the fate of all who come from or live in it. As leaders, it is our duty to advance the well-being of all our people and of the country. For this purpose, my generation worked hard to return the soldiers to the barracks and to defend the right of the people to elect and establish for ourselves a legitimate government.

Our elections are established and governed by law and founded on the constitution from which leadership and government in Nigeria alone derive their legitimacy. The people look up to us as leaders to respect these rules and, where necessary, to defend them. This is what brings us here. Today, we are called upon again as a people to uphold and defend the ground rules of elective government in our country.

The constitution prescribes the requirements for those who seek the highest elective office in the land. It should not take months or, indeed, decades, for the institutions concerned to be able to do their work in establishing the credibility of any certificates presented by candidates for public office. We undertook this journey at great cost and for important reasons.

The ground rules for legitimate governance in our country need to be upheld, and the reputation of our country is at stake. That affects everyone, Nigerians everywhere. I am a democrat by conviction and a citizen of a country that I love. The issues at stake in this case require us once more to re-dedicate ourselves to both the country and our constitution. Now, we entrust these facts to us all as citizens and as leaders of the institutions charged with interpreting our constitution.

I should thank the lawyers both in Nigeria and in the United States, who have assisted us in bringing clarity and definitive answers to these issues that appear to have defied our institutions for nearly a quarter of a century. I also want to extend my gratitude to Nigerian citizens and friends of Nigeria both within and beyond the shores of our country for their patience as we have sought to find the facts and establish the truth. I wish to pay tribute to the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, who inspired us on this path of discovery. Now, he can truly rest in peace in the assurance that what he started about 23 years ago has come to fruition. Gani’s vindication today gives credence to the saying that no matter how fast a lie runs, the truth will someday overtake it.

Former American President Thomas Jefferson once said, “If I had to choose between government without newspapers, and newspapers without government, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose the latter”. From exposing the Watergate scandal and unravelling the dubious certificates of politicians, journalists have maintained eternal vigilance by bridging the gap and stepping in when other arms of government failed.

It is for these reasons that commendation must be given to David Hundeyin, an independent journalist whose extraordinary work and those of many more young people like him has become a source of inspiration. Special thanks must be given to the millions of Nigerian youths and citizen journalists too who continue to put out the truth online even when no one is listening. Indeed, the price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance. .