Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the main socio-political organization of the Igbo people, says it will not yet congratulate President-elect Bola Tinubu.
Damian Okeke-Ogene, national vice president of Ohanaeze, explained that they cannot do so until the judicial process has concluded.
In a statement on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, Mr. Okeke-Ogene said: “Ohanaeze is in no rush to recognize Tinubu as President Elect because any house built on a faulty foundation is bound to collapse.”
He further added: “We believe that the 2023 presidential election process is still ongoing. The vote is over and the court has taken over. Until the outcome of the judicial process is known, we cannot take a position on the 2023 elections.
The result of the February 25 presidential election is currently being contested in the Presidential Election Tribunal by Peter Obi of the Labor Party and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
Messrs. Obi and Abubakar argue that Mr. Tinubu was not duly nominated by APC and that the electoral body INEC contravened its own laws by returning the APC candidate as president-elect.
Meanwhile, preparations continue for the handover of power to Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima, on May 29.