September 6 Judgment Day Excites Political Parties
- PEPT will affirm Tinubu’s mandate – APC
- We expect justice – Atiku, PDP
- Faith in rule of law unwavering – LP
Less than 24 hours to the September 6 judgment day set by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed optimism that the Court will affirm President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the February 25, 2023 election.
Accordingly, the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka says the party expects nothing other than affirmation of Tinubu’s victory by the five-member panel.
He told reporters that; “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the last presidential election fair and square.
“We are confident that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal will affirm the mandate handed to President Tinubu by the majority of the Nigerian electorate.”
We expect justice, nothing else – Atiku
Not in any way concerned about the ruling APC’s position, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar insists that the judgment should be based on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Maintaining that he expects nothing else, but that justice should be served in the petition in line with the provisions of the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, Atiku said fair judgment by the Tribunal will give Nigerians hope of a better country in the years ahead.
The Waziri Adamawa, who reacted to Tribunal’s announcement of Wednesday as the judgment day through his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, said; “We expect that the PEPT will render justice in line with the 1999 constitution as amended and all the other bodies of law that guided the election.”
Our Faith In Rule Of Law Unwavering – LP
For the Labour Party (LP), the excitement is also palpable with officials expressing optimism that the judgment would be in its favour tomorrow.
The Party’s National Publicity Secretary Mr Obiora Ifoh, is full of confidence that the wish of Nigerians would prevail with the Tribunal doing justice to the petition.
Ifoh is further quoted as saying; “We are optimistic that the judgment would be in our favour and that all our prayers to the tribunal would be positively answered. “
Be Law Abiding – CODE Urges Nigerians
Not left out of the thrills and frills of the Wednesday’s date, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Connected Development (CODE) has urged Nigerians, especially the youths, to be law abiding and allow the judicial process to take its course.
CODE’s Executive Director, Mallam Hamzat Lawal, who spoke in Abuja at the formal launch of the ‘Uzabe: Nigeria Decides Citizen Led Election Report’, said, “To me, everywhere is calm, there is no tension, there is no cause for alarm.”
Making reference to events of the past years, Mallam Lawal said; “In 2011, 2015 and 2019, people who were aggrieved went to court and there is no difference in 2023.
“One hopes that we would have a process free from politicians’ interference; a process that is expected to be transparent and credible so that we can have a situation that the ballot rather than the judiciary would make the pronouncement.
“I have confidence in the judiciary and we would continue to support the process.”
