By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has advised people contemplating interim national government in Nigeria to bury the thought.
Its National Chairman, Chief Odunayo Ategbero, said the idea of an interim national government was completely alien to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended).
Ategbero condemned the alleged plot by some groups he described as desperate politicians to instigate, mobilise and promote the interim national government after the just-concluded 2023 presidential election.
“It is important at this juncture to appreciate the infallibility of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) which does not contemplate any such arrangement in the political space.
“It is the view of the BOT of ALGON that Feb. 25’s presidential and National Assembly Elections outcome is sacrosanct as announced by INEC,’’ he stated.
Ategbero added that what was important now was moving forward after the elections.
“The President-Elect remains Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
“Nigeria has had a successful election even as it is acknowledged that there are some obvious infractions which should be left for the courts to adjudicate upon.
“The Election Tribunal offers a legitimate opportunity for losers to contest their claim,’’ he said.
Ategbero urged Nigerians to be law-abiding and to be steadfast in nurturing Nigeria’s nascent democracy in spite of unguarded utterances laden with inflamed emotions.
The BOT also condemns the heightened desperation by some Nigerians “weaponising’’ the victory with religious and ethnic sentiments for mere political and selfish gains.
“We call on all Nigerians to trust the democratic process against all subterfuge and not to be used by traducers and purveyors of trouble in the interest of more than 200 million Nigerians.
“An appeal is hereby made to the Department of State Service for immediate arrest and prosecution of these groups of desperate citizens fanning the embers of interim national government,’’ Ategbero stated.
(NAN)
