ABUJA – Atiku Abubakar, the presidential can­didate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday said that the call by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, President-elect, for reconciliation smacked of hypoc­risy.

Dismissing his call for healing after a violent election as the height of hy­pocrisy, Atiku noted that Tinubu has no plan to unite the country.

Frowning at Tinubu’s silence while Ndigbo in Lagos are being threatened, Atiku commended the United States government for condemning the vio­lent and ethnically charged election in Lagos.

Recall that Tinubu had ear­lier on Tuesday in a statement he personally signed said he was saddened by the infractions in some states as well as the divi­sive rhetoric that characterised the polls.

Tinubu had said since the 2023 general elections are now over, it is time to begin the heal­ing process.

Tinubu said urgent steps must be taken to unite the peo­ple, after cases of ethnic slurs following the governorship elec­tion, noting that it is important to champion the healing process by embracing the opponents and their supporters.

In a statement he personally signed and made available to Daily Independent, Tinubu said the time for politicking is gone, noting that it is time for nation building, a task beyond one indi­vidual or a section of the society.

He said there is the need for every hand from wherever it may come to be on deck.

Tinubu, who said he is sad­dened by reported isolated in­fractions during the elections and its aftermath in some states, condemned the report of arson after the announcement of gov­ernorship results in one state, saying “it did not represent who we truly are: peace-loving people.”

He also condemned the phys­ical and verbal assaults, nothing that they are unacceptable and antithetical to democratic ethos.

“Elections should be a cele­bration of our maturing democ­racy and freedom of choice and ought not to be moments of grief. I am particularly pained by cases of ethnic slurs, which are capable of creating needless mis-characterisation reported in some locations.

“My appeal is for us to rise above our differences, which, in reality, are fewer than the valued strings that bind us together as a people irrespective of the cir­cumstances of our births.

“As former governor of Lagos State, I can attest to the strength in our diversity and togetherness. As your Pres­ident-elect, it is that spirit of inclusiveness we engendered in Lagos that I intend to bring into national governance so that together we can attain our full potentials.

“I will give priority to ex­panding the civic space and safeguarding citizens’ freedom to exercise their rights within the bounds of the law”, Tinubu said.

According to the former La­gos State governor, “Indeed, the elections are over. The people have voted to elect their gover­nors and state legislators that will serve them for the next four years. The time for leadership and governance is now upon us.

“In a democracy, majority would have their way but that majority must not suppress the minority from having their say. As democrats, we have to safe­guard free expression. Winners must be magnanimous and those who did not win should have a large heart for tolerance and respect for the greater inter­est of the nation.

“As the elected, the only way to justify the trust and confi­dence of the people and the man­date entrusted in us is to commit ourselves to the service of the people. We must all work dili­gently and sincerely to make life better for the masses. As elected officers, we have no other assign­ment than to be burden-bearers for the masses and ensure they have better life that we promised during the campaigns”.

He said he is ready to work with everybody as the president, noting that he will be “a worthy partner you can trust and rely on as we all bond together, in unity of purpose and renewed hope for, the betterment of our blessed country and beloved people.”

He noted that consolidat­ing democratic governance at the sub-national level will bring more development and improved quality of life to the masses, saying that “the more we entrench and consolidate the gains of our democratic venture across the length and breadth of our country, the more our people benefit in terms of divi­dends of democracy and good governance.”

Following the conclusion of the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, he congratulated all the elected governors and Assembly mem­bers for earning the mandate of the people.

Atiku, in a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assis­tant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, described Tinubu’s statement as an af­ter-thought and hypocritical garbage.

He said it was curious that Tinubu was talking about rec­onciliation after his minions attacked Igbo voters in Lagos in order to give his party, the APC, advantage during the governor­ship election.

The former vice president said Tinubu had continued to protect transport hooligans, politicians and even traditional leaders in Lagos, who were seen on video threatening non-indi­genes.

He said: “Tinubu’s latest statement is laced with hypoc­risy and lies. For a whole month, traditional leaders, transport hooligans and politicians in his camp threatened non-indi­genes but Tinubu kept mute. His lackey, MC Oluomo, who is a member of his Presidential Campaign Council, was seen on video threatening Igbo peo­ple but Tinubu said nothing. His campaign spokesmen, Bayo Onanuga, and Femi Fani-Kayo­de, went on social media to warn Igbo people against exercising their franchise but Tinubu looked the other way.

“Traditional rulers imposed curfews and went about slaugh­tering goats and placing them in front of polling units but Tinu­bu said nothing. A traditional leader and council chairman in Gbara community, Eti Osa Local Government summoned non-indigenes to a meeting where they threatened non-indi­genes with eviction if they failed to vote for the APC but Tinubu said nothing. Those invited by the police ignored invitations be­cause Tinubu is shielding them.

“On the day of election, many people who looked like Igbo were beaten and prevent­ed from voting but Tinubu kept mute. Now that his party has sto­len the election, he has found his voice and is preaching reconcil­iation. He should tell that to the marines. If Tinubu is serious, he should ensure that all those found culpable are arrested and prosecuted. But we know he cannot do this because he is their godfather.”

Atiku also described the statement by the US Embassy in Nigeria condemning the vi­olence meted out to Igbo as a welcome development.

He, however, said the US ought to have gone further by mentioning the names of those found culpable and exposing the identities of those it will hit with visa restrictions.

Atiku said: “We commend the US and the EU governments for condemning the violence and intimidation that marred the governorship election espe­cially in Lagos where Tinubu’s henchmen held the state to ran­som.

“But the US knows the identities of the perpetrators of violence and ought to have mentioned their names. MC Oluomo is an American citizen. The US must also go further by mentioning the names of others including the traditional rulers in Lagos who were complicit.

“The US has in the past open­ly condemned Vladmir Putin of Russia and others found wanting in other countries. This is not the time for political correctness. Those who will be slammed with visa bans should be named and shamed.”

Atiku maintained that there could be no reconciliation with­out restitution, adding that anything short of this would not heal any wounds.

He argued that Tinubu had shown from his electioneering that he had no plan to unite Nigeria but was only after one thing – power and the resources of Nigeria.

He said: “Tinubu is only af­ter power. Before he took over power, Lagos was known for its urbane and accommodating na­ture. The late Nnamdi Azikiwe built his political base and busi­ness empire in Lagos.

“Mbonu Ojike, born in Imo State, was the Deputy Mayor of Lagos in 1951. Many others from around the country and beyond built businesses and political careers in Lagos unmolested. But on Bola Tinubu’s watch, Lagos has become an intolerant state where non-indigenes are openly beaten on election day and threatened with eviction if they don’t vote for his party. Now he seeks reconciliation? What a joke!

“There will be no reconcili­ation until MC Oluomo and all his minions who took part in issuing threats and brutalising people are diligently prosecut­ed.”