The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the verdict of the Supreme Court on Thursday regarding the outcome of the 2023 presidential election as disappointing.
The PDP in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba said the majority of Nigerians are alarmed, disappointed and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the Supreme Court.
It added that the confidence of many Nigerians in the judiciary has been shaken by the Supreme Court ruling.
Naija News recalls the apex court on Thursday affirmed the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which declared All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the winner of the February 25th presidential election.
The court proceeding led by the Presiding Judge, Justice John Okoro, dismissed the petitions filed by candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on the ground that they lacked merit.
The Supreme Court held that the candidate of the PDP failed to prove that he won the election, stating that there was no alternative figure of votes to counter that validly declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Okoro, who read the judgment, said the Supreme Court could not manufacture votes in support of Atiku and PDP.
Reacting to the court judgement, the PDP said the Supreme Court has failed Nigerians.
It submitted that the position of the apex court is against the constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act and Nigerians are surprised as to how the court failed to take cognizance of the reported violation of electoral rules and guidelines, brazen manipulations and alterations of election results by the APC.
The statement reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (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.”
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