A pro-democracy group, The Natives, yesterday told opposition parties organising protests in capital cities of some Western nations and some embassies in the country that no foreign nation will promote insurrection in Nigeria.
The group maintained that neither the United States of America (U.S.A), the United Kingdom (UK), nor Canada would support any action that will truncate the democratic stability currently being enjoyed in the country.
The Natives, which comprises Nigerians from various ethnic groups, took a peaceful solidarity walk from the Central Business District of Abuja to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters to assure the electoral body of its support over the just-concluded general election.
Applauding INEC for the credible conduct of this year’s polls, the group said its over 20 million members across the country would resist any form of intimidation and threat against democracy, the commission, and the integrity of the presidential election that produced Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President-elect.
Addressing reporters before presenting a commendation letter to INEC, the Supreme Leader of The Natives, Smart Edwards said his group was on a peaceful walk to thank the electoral body for standing firm against intimidation, propaganda and all forms of blackmail by those he called “bad losers”.
Edwards affirmed that Nigerians spoke their minds with the outcome of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, which he adjudged as the best in recent times.
The Supreme Leader warned politicians to stop overheating the polity.
He cautioned the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, to desist from making inflammatory statements that are capable of undermining the nation’s democracy.
“We want to particularly warn the LP vice presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, to apply caution because Nigeria is a country and not The Base University.
“We have come to INEC to affirm that elections were conducted and All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Labour Party (LP) and other political parties went into the contest.
“Some people have been going round the country, inciting other people, calling for a taboo; they are calling for Interim National Government that will never happen; not in Nigeria, not in any African country that we support.
“America is currently handling insurrection against her state. So, we are certain that America, the United Kingdom and other nations will not promote insurrection in our nation, Nigeria.
“We want to tell you (INEC) that people have their rights to protest; whosoever they are, they are citizens with such rights. But they do not have the right to provoke the voters. It is a taboo for anybody under any influence of alcohol or any other substance to rise and call for Interim Government in this nation when we still have INEC intact.
“Elections were conducted by Nigerians, and these Nigerians include so many young people: citizens of Nigeria and not citizens of Russia, Dubai or any other country. It was conducted peacefully. Some people won while others lost.
“I want to affirm that Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s and Kashim Shettima’s ticket scored the highest votes as informed to everyone at the National Collation Centre. The votes were counted in 8 million plus, and were declared winners, having won about 29 states,” Edwards said.
Admitting that any aggrieved candidate at the last election has the legitimate right to seek redress in the court, The Natives frowned at the unpatriotic move of some people who are staging unwarranted protests in the major cities of the world and some embassies and foreign missions.
“Our message is very clear: this is one indivisible country and it benefits nobody that the country goes up in flames. We have said that elections had been won and lost. But in this presidential election, Bola Ahmed Tinubu won clearly,” he added.
Responding on behalf of the INEC Chairman, the commission’s Director of Security, Lebari Sam Nduh, who received the letter from the group, assured them that the electoral body would continue to do its constitutional roles without bias or favour.