Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he will continue to challenge the outcome of the February 25 election that produced Bola Tinubu as the president-elect.
Abubakar who was the first runner-up in the election is challenging the result in court.
Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner and issued a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement on Saturday, the PDP candidate said he is challenging the outcome of the presidential election in the interest of the nation.
He said the outcome of the election was “predetermined” and should be rejected by Nigerians.
“I have been notified of a fake press release attributed to me and purportedly giving legitimacy to the widely rigged presidential election of February 25,” Abubakar said.
“The so-called press release did not emanate from me or my office, and it should be treated with repudiation, untrue, and deliberately contrived by those who illegally appropriated the mandate of the Nigerian people.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, I wish to state categorically that my lawyers still have my unflinching mandate to challenge the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
“I join other lovers of democracy in Nigeria and friends of our great country in the outright rejection of the predetermined outcome of the February 25 election.
“I shall continue to challenge the legality of that election, alongside my party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
“The decision to challenge the sham election of February 25, the worst election in our democratic history, is not predicated on my personal interest but for the interest of Nigeria and its people.
“It is aimed at deepening democracy and ensuring that we do not confer legitimacy to an outcome of illegitimacy.
“My commitment to the democratic struggle in Nigeria is beyond an election season.”
