By Desmond Ukandu (Politics/Senior Editor)
Outraged, like most Nigerians, at the verdict of Nigeria's apex court, the Supreme Court, on Thursday, affirming the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as elected President on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have expressed dismay about the judgement, describing it separate reactions as a 'disappointment' and 'sad day' for democracy.
The two political parties are the platforms with which both Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi used to contest for the Presidency of Nigeria against Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Saturday, February 25th, 2023 Presidential election.
The Labour Party (LP) in its swift reaction via statement by its National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, said the outcome of the judgement was an indication that "the struggles by our founding fathers to build a nation where truth and justice shall reign and enthroned democracy have been destroyed. It is indeed another sad day for democracy in Nigeria"
Labour further stated that the leadership of party "watched as the sacred fabric of justice and good conscience was shredded today at the Suprme Court as it delivered its verdict in the case between our party the Presidential candidate and the APC Presidential candidate. 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
"It is also pertinent to put on record that we have it on very good authority that the government may have marked some Labour Party’s key leaders, my self especially and our Leader and Presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi in particular for vilification, in order to suppress the party, suffocate our team, and our goal of a new Nigeria. The planned persecution, intimidation, suppression and harassment of our leaders using security agencies and all other government institutions will be definitely defended.
"We are therefore calling on all our members, and the Obidient family to be vigilant and brace up for the challenges ahead. The struggle for a New Nigeria will certainly be tortuous and hard.
"We are also calling 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.
"Finally, we urge Nigerians not to lose hope in our Country. Though we are paying a huge price to achieve a Nigeria of our desire. 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".
PDP EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT
In its own reaction, a distraught Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said it is disappointed with the judgment of the Supreme Court affirming President Bola Tinubu as winner of the Feb. 25, 2023, Presidential election, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The PDP expressed its position in Abuja on Thursday, in reaction to the court judgment on the appeal petition filed by the party and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the election.
Ologunagba said that the PDP and indeed majority of Nigerians were alarmed, disappointed and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the Supreme Court.
He said that the PDP believed the judgment was against the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended); the Electoral Act, 2022; and 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.
“This is especially with regards to the required statutory 25 per cent 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 All Progressives Congress (APC),” Ologunagba said.
He said that Nigerians were still at a loss as to how the Supreme Court condoned the “serious issues of forgery, falsehood and perjury on the altar of technicalities,” he said.
Ologunagba said that the general gloom, melancholy and sense of despondency across the country upon the delivery of the judgment was an ominous sign of eerie situation which portend 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,” he stated.
Ologunagba however declared that the PDP remained undeterred. He charged Nigerians not to be discouraged or allow the judgment to detract from their collective quest for the entrenchment of a credible electoral system that could guarantee a government that derive its legitimacy from the people.
TINUBU REJOICES, STILL CLAIMS VICTORY AT THE POLL
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that Thursday’s verdict will lay to rest the agitating discourse over who truly won the 2023 Presidential election and met the constitutional requirements as laid out by law.
The President, who was responding to the Supreme Court ruling which validated him as the true winner of the 2023 presidential election, praised the Honourable Justices, who presided over the matter for their diligence and undaunted professionalism.
According to him, their judgment has once again affirmed that the governing All Progressives’ Congress, had freely and fairly won the popular mandate of Nigerians, which has since given rise to his leadership.
In a statement personally signed by the President on Thursday, he described the Supreme Court ruling as further consolidation and embedding of the nation’s electoral jurisprudence and constitutional democracy.
President Tinubu noted that his faith in the nation’s judiciary has never been shaken, “not even for a moment, because I know that our hallowed courts of law will not fail to administer justice to all Nigerians in all matters and at all times. Despite the fusillade of pressure and attempts at intimidation by some political actors, the judiciary demonstrated its unequivocal commitment to upholding the rule of law for the upliftment and defense of humanity.”
Part of the statement read:
“I welcome the verdict of the Justice John I. Okoro-led Panel of the Supreme Court on the Presidential Election petitions filed by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party, challenging the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
“The court has done justice to all issues put up for consideration in the petitions on the merits of the law, without fear or favour.
With deep gratitude to God Almighty, I solemnly and humbly accept today’s judicial victory with an intense sense of responsibility and a burning desire to meet the great challenges confronting our people.
“The victory of today has further energised and strengthened my commitment to continue to serve all Nigerians of all political persuasions, tribes, and faiths, with honour and total respect for the diverse opinions and uniting values of our citizens.
“Our Renewed Hope agenda for a greater and prosperous Nigeria has further gained momentum and I will continue to work from morning to night, every single day, to build a country that meets our collective yearnings and aspirations.
“We are all members of one household, and this moment demands that we continue to work and build our country together. The strength of our diversity and the great citizenship that binds us must now compel us forward in directing the energy of our people towards building a virile, stronger, united, and more prosperous country.
“In the days and months ahead, I trust that the spirit of patriotism will be elevated into supporting our administration to improve the living conditions of Nigerians. I am prepared to welcome the contributions of all Nigerians to foster and strengthen our collective progress.
“I send my immense gratitude to all Nigerians for the mandate to serve our country. I promise again to meet and exceed your expectations in service delivery and good governance, working with my team and trusting in the grace of God.
“May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
NO NATIONAL LEADER IN NIGERIA YET....Rotimi Amaechi
Former Minister of Transportation who contested against Tinubu at the Wednesday, June 8, 2022 APC Presidential Primary, Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday, said Nigeria is still in search of national leaders and that its democracy needs serious rethinking in terms of scope and focus.
Amaechi was the guest speaker at the 2023 TheNiche Annual Lecture themed: “Why We Stride and Slip: Leadership, Nationalism and Nigerian Condition,” on Thursday in Lagos.
The lecture, in its fourth edition was organised by TheNiche Foundation for Development Journalism to engage Nigerians and proffer solutions to some of the countries most difficult questions.
The former Rivers governor said Nigeria’s nationalism and nation building were younger than the nation as an independent entity and that there had been more rulers than nationalistic leaders.
While lauding Nigerian nationalists who fought for the independence, Amaechi said genuine nationalistic leadership transcends ethnicity.
According to him, public service equips people with both practical experiences and some inside knowledge on how Nigeria works, as well as why it did not work and how it should work.
He questioned the extent to which Nigerian leadership had been imbued with the necessary sense of national unity.
“The only person near that point of Nationalism with all respect is Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. The rest are ethnic leaders.
“Truly, remarkable national leadership is the ability of a leader to galvanise the totality of a nation around the common national banner with a vision and a sense of mission.
The truly remarkable national leader is the one that is able to rise above limitations to take the nation and its people to that place where they long for but have never been before.
“It is a place of national greatness, pride, achievements and shared goals, aspirations and prosperity,” he said.
He said that most nations are products of amalgamation of diverse nationality under a common sovereignty and many had tried to resolve the problem of internal diversity.
Amaechi said that many Nigerian leaders are at the corridors of power for the interest of their ethnic groups, noting that the identity of Nigeria is still being tormented by ethnicity.
“There can be no credible leadership for a diverse nation without some forms of resolutions on the national questions as it pertains to the particular nation in question,” he added.
Also speaking, Dr Uma Eleazu, Chairman of the lecture said that in spite of all the problems the country is facing, the future generation still has hope.
Questioning how the country got to its present point, Eleazu said the toxicity of living in Nigeria had birthed the ‘Japa Syndrome’ among the youth.
“Once the boundaries of national social order are removed, there will be problems.
“Men and women of goodwill must make the necessary investment of time and energy to counter these forces to build within the next generation lasting values.
“These values are embodied in politics of character, self-discipline, respect for authority and for one another, commitment to speaking the truth always no matter whose horses is gored, and unshakeable love for God and humanity,” he said.
Earlier in his remark, Mr Ikechukwu Amaechi, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of TheNiche said that the lecture was organised to have various opinions that would shed light on why Nigeria’s enormous potential are not realised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Amaechi and Eleazu were inducted into TheNiche Hall of Fame, joining other prominent Nigerians including Prof. Remi Sonaiya, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, among others. (source: NAN, Realnews). NNL.