Nigerian Lawmaker Appeals to the DR Congo Opposition to Accept Authentic Election Results

A distinguished member of Nigeria’s Federal Parliament, the House of Representatives, and chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, wishes to extend his congratulations to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, on his impending victory in the recently concluded presidential election.

While initial results showed a significant lead for the incumbent Tshisekedi, opposition candidates in the presidential election plan to stage a protest against the outcome in the capital on Wednesday. Martin Fayulu, a key challenger to President Tshisekedi in the December 20 election, has expressed the opposition’s intention to proceed with the demonstration due to alleged election irregularities and the belief that the exercise was fraudulent.

In response to this, Nigerian lawmaker Ugochinyere calls upon Fayulu and others to gracefully accept defeat and honour the will of the Congolese people by congratulating President Tshisekedi and discontinuing the protest. He emphasizes that the election was conducted with integrity and was a true reflection of the decision of the Congolese citizens.

Ugochinyere praises the election as being free and fair, and underscores the significance of President Tshisekedi’s victory, which garnered over 81% of the votes, compared to the leading rival Katumbi, who secured just over 284,000 votes. This landslide victory indicates the DR Congo’s bold statement of unity and endorsement of President Tshisekedi’s various reforms, including mining reforms, free education, healthcare, and the war against militias. Ugochinyere urges the people of the DR Congo to resist unpatriotic calls for the cancellation of the election and to defend the mandate they have given to President Tshisekedi, who is a reformer and unifier.

He expresses disapproval towards the calls for the election to be invalidated and the planned protest, deeming such actions as being funded by individuals with criminal intentions. This group, Ugochinyere asserts, lost their illicit mining businesses due to the reforms initiated by President Tshisekedi and are now attempting to incite civil unrest and armed conflict in the DR Congo. These deplorable actions are intended to allow them to engage in illegal mining and exploitation of the Central African nation’s mineral resources amidst chaos and disorder.

The growing unrest and ongoing dispute in the DR Congo’s presidential election are developments that the international community is keeping a close eye on. The expectation is for all parties to demonstrate restraint, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that the will of the Congolese people is upheld.

In a world filled with turmoil and controversies, it is vital for leaders to recognize the significance of conducting elections with integrity and respect for the will of the people. The call for transparency, acceptance of election outcomes, and the importance of unity and stability are principles that resonate not only in the Democratic Republic of Congo but across the globe.

As this situation unfolds, the world waits in anticipation to see the outcome and ultimate resolution to this contestation of election results in the DR Congo. It is a critical moment for the leadership of the African continent to demonstrate a commitment to democratic values, the rule of law, and respect for the popular will.