Supreme Court ruling on presidential petition against constitution, electoral act – PDP

Supreme Court ruling on presidential petition against constitution, electoral act – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed its dismay and disappointment with the Supreme Court’s verdict on the petition filed by its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Bola Tinubu as the winner of the February election.

In a statement on Thursday, Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the party, conveyed the party’s concern that the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court, has been shaken as a result of the outcome of the Presidential petition.

Ologunagba stated, “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.

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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.

“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 an eerie situation which portends 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.”

However, the PDP remains undeterred and urges Nigerians not to be disheartened or let the judgment distract them from their collective pursuit of establishing a credible electoral system that ensures a government truly deriving its legitimacy from the people.