2023 presidential election: Go to court, NPSA urges aggrieved politicians
Following disclosure by the Department of State Services (DSS) of a plot to install an interim government in the country, the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) has condemned the move saying previous experience was counterproductive.
In an exclusive interview with News men , NPSA president, Professor Hassan Salihu, said Nigeria’s experience as an interim government complicated matters for the country.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared a winner, and taking any action other than seeking redress in court will cause crisis in the country.
NPSA president stated that: “I want to start by observing that Nigeria had once followed that root. I want to ask, what was the experience like? You recall that after the annulment of June 12, which was won by MKO Abiola, General Babangida came up with the concept of Interim National Government, which ushered in the late Ernest Shonekan.”
He recalled that the matter was taken to court and the court pronounced the interim government illegal.
He stated: “Our first experiment in the interim government didn’t produce the desired result. It’ is a complicated matter for Nigeria, and some people will still argue that perhaps Nigeria is yet to come out of the crisis instigated by the interim government.
“So the interim government, as declared by the court, then remains illegal. And even now, it is illegal, because there is no provision for it.
“I think Nigerians, especially politicians must be prepared to accept defeat, where it is inevitable, of listening to the audio argument. We have decided to be on the path of democracy, and all of us must respect the path that we have chosen. And the significant issue about the path we have chosen is that people who have grievances should follow the court process to seek redress.
“The interim government is not contemplated by law, and should not be anything everybody should be talking about now. We have had an election, and the winner has been declared rightly or wrongly. INEC has declared a winner, so Nigeria has to take it from there.
“People have gone to court too and they should allow the court process to be concluded before we know the next stage.”
