The decision by the Nigerian Supreme Court to uphold President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 2023 election has left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressing deep disappointment, as it shatters the hopes of Nigerians and their expectations.
The Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) had previously affirmed Tinubu’s win, but Abubakar and Obi had continued their legal battle, hoping for a different outcome from the highest court in the land.
In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, the PDP expressed deep disappointment and voiced concerns over the judiciary’s role in the electoral process.
According to a statement issued by the PDP’s spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, the party lashed out at the Supreme Court’s judgment.
“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 read.
The PDP argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling had raised serious questions about the sanctity of the law and the justice system.
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“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 statement continued.
One of the key issues at the heart of the controversy is the requirement for a presidential candidate to secure a minimum of 25% of the votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The PDP and its supporters had expected the Supreme Court to uphold this provision.
Furthermore, they had raised concerns about alleged violations of electoral rules, manipulation of results, and alterations carried out by the APC during the election.
The PDP’s statement also accused the Supreme Court of dismissing the appeals based on technicalities while condoning “serious issues of forgery, falsehood, and perjury.”
This decision, according to the PDP, has severely shaken the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, particularly in the Supreme Court, which is often considered the last hope for justice for the average person.
Despite the disappointment, the PDP called on Nigerians not to lose faith in their collective pursuit of a credible electoral system.
“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 derives its legitimacy from the people,” the statement concluded.
