The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) Thursday deplored the Supreme Court’s verdict affirming President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 2023 poll.
A seven-judge panel led by Justice John Inyang Okoro ruled the opposition appeals over claims of fraud, electoral law violations, and Tinubu’s ineligibility to run for president lack merit.
The apex court affirmed the September 6, 2023 ruling by the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal that upheld the victory of APC’s Tinubu.
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While PDP described the judgement as ‘disappointing’ and ‘thrashed’ the expectations of Nigerians, (LP) claimed the legislative and judicial arms of government have been hijacked by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi had appealed the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) which upheld Tinubu’s victory.
The apex court on Thursday dismissed their appeals, saying they lacked merit.
However, the main opposition PDP, according to a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, described it as disappointing.
“The PDP and indeed the majority of Nigerians are alarmed, disappointed, and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the Supreme Court which the PDP believes is against the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, the Guideline and Regulation issued by INEC under which the election was conducted,” the statement partly read.
“The PDP asserts that it is indeed a sad commentary for our democracy that the Supreme Court failed to uphold the provisions of the law. Instead, it trashed the expectation of the majority of Nigerians who looked up to it as a Temple of Impartiality to deliver substantial justice in the matter having regard to the laws and facts of the case.”
The party accused the Supreme Court of condoning “serious issues of forgery, falsehood and perjury on the altar of technicalities.”
“This judgment by the Supreme Court has evidently shaken the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court as the last hope of the common man,” the PDP said.
It, however, urged “Nigerians not to be discouraged or allow the judgment to detract from their collective quest for the entrenchment of a credible electoral system.”
PDP’s FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
PDP is appalled by the judgment of the Supreme Court in the petition filed by the PDP and Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar against the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winners of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The PDP and indeed majority of Nigerians are alarmed, disappointed and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the Supreme Court which the PDP believes is against the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, the Guideline and Regulation issued by INEC under which the election was conducted.
The PDP asserts that it is indeed a sad commentary for our democracy that the Supreme Court failed to uphold the provisions of the law. Instead, it trashed the expectation of majority of Nigerians who looked up to it as a Temple of Impartiality to deliver substantial justice in the matter having regards to the laws and facts of the case.
Nigerians earnestly expected the Supreme Court to uphold and defend the clear provisions of the 1999 Constitution in terms of qualification and minimum requirement for a winner to be declared in a Presidential election in Nigeria especially with regards to the required statutory 25% of votes in the FCT as well as issues of violation of electoral Rules and Guidelines, brazen manipulations and alterations of election results by the APC.
Nigerians are still at a loss as to how the Supreme Court condoned the serious issues of forgery, falsehood and perjury on the altar of technicalities.
The general gloom, melancholy and sense of despondency across the country upon the delivery of the judgment is an ominous sign of eerie situation which portend grave consequences because of the disappointment embedded in the judgment.
This judgment by the Supreme Court has evidently shaken the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court as the last hope of the common man.
The PDP remains undeterred and charges Nigerians not to be discouraged or allow the judgment to detract from their collective quest for the entrenchment of a credible electoral system that can guarantee a government that truly derive its legitimacy from the people.
LP’s grievance
With Thursday’s judgment of the Supreme Court affirming the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu, the Labour Party (LP) claimed the legislative and judicial arms of government have been hijacked by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
At a press briefing hours after the apex court dismissed the appeals by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; and his LP counterpart, Peter Obi; LP’s Chairman, Julius Abure; said the party was disappointed but have decided to charge on and remain optimistic for what the future holds for the nation.
According to Abure, what happened from the day of the 2023 presidential election to now showed that the nation was sliding towards dictatorship.
“We are indeed very shocked and surprised that even the apex court will toe the line of an earlier judgement in spite of all the flaws associated with the judgement delivered by the Presidential Election Appeal Tribunal.
“Having conclusively exercised our fundamental rights as gifted to us by the laws of the land, we have no other choice but to move on. We may be disappointed and dismayed by the outcome of the exercise but we have chosen to trudge on and to remain optimistic of what the future holds for the nation.
“We weep for our institutions that cannot rise to the occasion and courageously defend democracy and the voices of our people.
“However, there are great lessons to be learnt. What transpired in Nigeria since the February 25 presidential election is a clear testament that our institutions are not working and that we may be sliding towards dictatorship. It is very clear that the executive has hijacked both the judiciary and the legislature. This is so unfortunate for our democracy and it is even more for the people of Nigeria.
“All what our forbearers taught us has been destroyed within a short space of time because of the unbridled ambition of a few. The founding fathers fought with their lives to achieve independence for the country.
“People lost their lives for the struggle to keep our democracy and all these years people have been struggling to achieve electoral and constitutional reforms. Regrettably, all of these efforts and struggles have been destroyed today,” Abure said.
The Labour Party chairman also alleged that some leaders of the party including himself and Obi have been marked by the government for vilification in other to suppress the party and its goal for a new Nigeria.
He called on the international community to rise to the occasion to defend democracy in Nigeria.
“Your voices were loud and clear in condemnation of the outcome of the presidential election. As we approach the next stage of our democratic journey, we call on you to stand by the millions of Nigerians who are already pushed beyond their limits into unnecessary hardship and penury,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the country, adding that “we are hopeful that we will get to our destination someday because where there is a will, certainly, there will be a way. A new Nigeria is still possible.”
