Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has accused the Nigerian government of employing intimidation and criminal conspiracy to silence the voice of the people.

“Our national drive to make Nigeria work again has been slowed down by anti-democratic forces,” Atiku said in a video broadcast.

“You (Nigerians) voted the PDP and defended your votes in the face of intimidation and criminal conspiracy by the incumbent government. – by your actions, you have demonstrated to the world that democracy works. And wherever and whenever democracy works, the will of the people prevail.”

Atiku, a former Nigeria vice president under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration from 1999 till 2007, contested the office president in the 2019 general election and lost to incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Buhari polled a total of 15, 191, 847 votes while PDP’s Atiku Abubakar polled 11, 262, 978 votes.

Atiku and his party- the PDP, however, rejected the presidential election results, claiming the process was ‘massively rigged’ to favour President Buhari and the APC.

“I hereby reject the result of February 23, 2019 sham election and will be challenging it in court,” Atiku said hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results.

PDP and Atiku thereafter filed a petition at the election tribunal to challenge Buhari’s victory in the presidential election.

While the governorship and state houses of assemblies’ polls come up on Saturday, March 9, Atiku urged Nigerians and supporters of the PDP to participate in the elections.

“I urge you to come out in even larger numbers to vote the candidates of the People’s Democratic Party from top to bottom,” Atiku said.