A Coalition of Northern Elders has risen from what they tagged the ‘Convention of Arewa Elders’ at Arewa House Kaduna to demand the arrest of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi.

They said his utterances over the just-concluded elections are capable of triggering a repeat of the 1966 coup that led to the killings of regional leaders.

The elders also insisted that President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be sworn in having been declared winner of the February 25 contest.

The Arewa Elders in their communique shortly after the meeting read by Chairman of Gamji Heritage, Alhaji Suleiman Usman Jere, stated Obi has continued to display anti-democratic tendencies, capable of causing civil disobedience and threats.

According to them: “Particularly worrisome, are the pronouncements of Mr. Peter Obi and Mr. Datti Ahmed, the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates of the Labour Party, as well as other Labour Party leaders including sources said to be linked to IPOB, ESN, which are known terrorist organisations.

“It is on record that Mr. Peter Obi engaged a very divisive ethno-religious campaign during the 2023 elections and has continued to brazenly display anti-democratic tendencies opting for civil disobedience and threats in place of constitutional means through the Courts.

“We are calling on all our security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities. It amounts to treason for anybody to call for truncating our democracy by whatever guises, be it Interim National Government let alone the call for a military coup. Perpetrators must be arrested and be brought to book with immediate effect!’’

They added: “Elections have been held and the Winner has emerged. The people of the North massively voted for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in National interest.

“We are mindful of our voting and will stand firmly to protect our democracy. We remain committed to the May 29th swearing-in date in line with Nigeria’s constitutional provisions.’

Major General Mohammed Sani Saleh (rtd) wondered why Obi has not been arrested.

According to him: “if it were to be military officers that have tried what He (Peter Obi) has done, they would have been arrested, detained and charged for the coup and if found guilty, they would be sentenced to death. Why should the case of civilians trying to truncate our democracy be different?

“The Nigerian Constitution must prevail, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be sworn in on the 29th May 2023. We do not know anything called Interim National Government, it has no basis and nobody has the statutory right to appoint any Interim National Government for this country. We have a constitution and we must do things by our constitution.” (The Nation)

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