Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Elder Godsday Orubebe
has apologised to Nigerians over the show of shame during the release
of
results of the presidential election in Abuja yesterday.
A
mild drama ensued at the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) election result collation centre in Abuja when Orubebe, an agent
of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accused INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega
of compromise.
Orubebe took hold of the microphone at
the centre and sat on the stage while criticizing Jega’s handling of the
result collation.
A repentant Orubebe said last night that he regretted his action for allowing his emotion to overwhelm him.
He pleaded with Niger Delta youths not to perpetrate violence because of the election of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Orubebe, who held up proceedings for about 30 minutes,
told reporters in Abuja: “Election is a passionate thing and I really
regret what took place during the results collation. I was unnecessarily
pushed by Jega to get to that level.
“I want to
apologise particularly to young Nigerians that look up to take politics
as a career to say that what happened was not intended to cause them any
embarrassment.
“To Nigerians generally, I regret my
actions as even an elder in the church, and a leader, the young men
expected to see a lot from me and I believe that if there was any
disappointment they got from me I apologise to Nigerians and to the
youths of this country.”
A sober Orubebe asked Niger
Delta youths not to take the laws into their hands following the outcome
of the Presidential Election.
“We have always talked
about peace in this country and remember that when there was crisis in
the Niger Delta, I was one of the architects that sacrificed to go to
the creeks to tell the militants that we need peace in this country
alongside President Goodluck Jonathan.”
On Jonathan’s
sportsmanship attitude, he said: “Two things are in place. The president
is the president of everybody. As a statesman and as a president; he
has done what he should do.”
On how the PDP will take
the defeat, Orubebe said: “I cannot decide for the PDP. It is a large
family. We were sent on an errand to come back to report. We will go and
report to the party and the party will take the necessary action it has
to take.
“You remember what happened in Ekiti’s
governorship election when the governor congratulated his opponent and
the party went back and said this is what they have seen. The candidate
is not the party, he is a candidate and he has acted very well as a
statesman, and as the president, the father of all. For us, we are
agents sent to be here to see what transpired here and give report to
them.”
Source:PM News
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