Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Elder Godsday Orubebe last night
apologised for his outburst during the release of elections results in
Abuja. He regretted that he allowed his emotion to betray him and has
pleaded with Niger Delta youths not to perpetrate violence because of
the election of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Orubebe, who held up proceedings for about 30 minutes, told reporters in Abuja:
”Election is a passionate thing and I really regret what took place this
morning. I was unnecessarily pushed by Jega to get to that level. I
want to apologise particularly to young Nigerians that look up to take
politics as a career to say that what happened was
not intended to cause them any embarrassment.
To Nigerians generally, I regret my actions as even an elder in the
church, and a leader, the young men expected to see a lot from me and I
believe that if there was any disappointment they got from me I
apologise to Nigerians and to the youths of this country.”
TheNation adds that a sober Orubebe asked Niger Delta youths not to take
the laws into their hands on the outcome of the Presidential Election.
“We have always talked about peace in this country and remember that
when there was crisis in the Niger Delta, I was one of the architects
that sacrificed to got the creeks to tell the militants that we need
peace in this country alongside President Goodluck Jonathan.”
On President Goodluck Jonathan’s sportsmanship attitude, he said:
“Two things are in place. The president is the president of everybody.
As a statesman and as a president; he has done what he should do.”
On how the PDP will take the defeat, Orubebe said:
“I cannot decide for the PDP. It is a large family. We were sent on an
errand to come back to report. We will go and report to the party and
the party will take the necessary action it has to take.
You remember what happened in Ekiti’s governorship election when the
governor congratulated his opponent and the party went back and said
this is what they have seen. The candidate is not the party, he is a
candidate and he has acted very well as a statesman, and as the
president, the father of all. For us, we are agents to be here to see
what transpired here and give report to them.”
