The presidential candidate of the Youth Progressive Party (YPP), Professor Kingsley Moghalu, has said the party’s votes were “stolen, suppressed and diverted” on February 23.
In his first major post-election press interview, Moghalu told The Interview that his party had “many credible indications” of the electoral fraud.
He said he was targeted by those who felt threatened by his message, as a result of which they launched a wave of fake news attacks that he had stepped down for the two front-runners.
“I was the only presidential candidate targeted with such fake news campaign a few days to the election,” he said. “The campaigns depressed our votes because many people in the Northern states (Buhari’s voting base) and the Southern states (Atiku’s voting base) believed it.”
He, however, indicated he that he would not challenge the result of the election in court, saying, “the question of going to court is neither here nor there,” and might have made sense if YPP came second.
He said his focus will be to campaign for electoral reforms, adding that even though he was disappointed by the result of the election, it was a reflection of the mindset of Nigerians.
“Anyone that complains,” he said, “should first look in the mirror. Did you vote? If so, for who? The status quo or for something new, different and bold?”
He also spoke on the lessons he learnt from the campaign, the highs and the lows, and the endorsement he received from Noble Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
