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Amidst the Final ruling on the Election Victory of President Muhammadu Buhari by the Supreme Court which dismissed the Appeal filed by the People Democratic Party and it’s candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for lacking merit.
The People Democratic Party and the Presidential Candidate including many other Nigerians has reacted to Supreme Court dismissing Atiku Suit For Lacking Merit.
Supreme Court’s ruling: ‘I fought a good fight for Nigerian people’ – Atiku
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to Supreme Court’s dismissal of his petition against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election in February.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Tanko Mohammed in his judgment said, “We have examined all the briefs and exhibits for over two weeks.
“And we agreed that there is no merit in this appeal. The appeal is dismissed. Reasons to be given on a date to be announced.”
A statement he signed in reaction said: “It is said that the Supreme Court is not final because it is infallible, but that it is infallible because it is final. While I believe that only God is infallible everywhere, and only Nigerians are infallible in our democracy, I must accept that the judicial route I chose to take, as a democrat, has come to a conclusion.
“Whether justice was done, is left to the Nigerian people to decide. As a democrat, I fought a good fight for the Nigerian people. I will keep on fighting for Nigeria and for democracy, and also for justice.
“I thank all Nigerians who have stayed the course since the commencement of trial in the petition on the February 23 presidential election. The judgement is part of democratic challenges we must face as a nation.
“The Nigerian judiciary, just like every estate of our realm, has been sabotaged and undermined by an overreaching and dictatorial cabal, who have undone almost all the democratic progress the Peoples Democratic Party and its administrations nurtured for sixteen years, up until 2015.
“Can Nigeria continue like this? Recently, former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, averred that Nigeria had rolled back the democratic gains she made in 2015. When democracy is rolled back, the economy, the society and the judiciary will not be far behind. Today, the nail has been put on the coffin and the gains we collectively made since 1999 are evaporating, and a requiem is at hand.
“In a democracy, you need a strong judiciary, a free press and an impartial electoral umpire. Nigeria has none of those three elements as at today.
“One man, one woman, one youth, one vote, should be the only way to make gains in a democracy. And when that is thwarted, the clock starts to tick.
“Two and a half millennia ago, Sophocles said “If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: “Thou shalt not ration justice.”
Nigeria will do well to observe this warning.
“To those who think they have broken my spirit, I am sorry to disappoint you. I am too focused on Nigeria to think about myself. I gave up that luxury twenty years ago. The question is not if I am broken. The question is if Nigeria is whole?
“This is not a time for too many words. It will suffice for me to remind Nigeria of this – we are an independent nation and we are the architects of our fate. If we do not build a free Nigeria, we may end up destroying her, and God forbid that that should be the case.
“I was a democrat, I am a democrat, and I will always continue to be a democrat. May God bless Nigeria.”
PDP expresses shock over Supreme court verdict
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wednesday expressed shock at the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Presidential election petition filed by the party and its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
It would be recalled that the apex court in a unanimous judgment dismissed the petition by the opposition party and its presidential candidate today.
But, in a reaction to the judgment, the party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement said, “Indeed, what we witnessed today was not what majority of Nigerians, who participated and observed the Presidential election expected; and this includes even members of the APC.
“The PDP notes that it indeed made a solid case, with undisputable evidence, showing that Atiku Abubakar won the Presidential election and as such is surprised that the justices of the Supreme Court held
otherwise; however, that is the highest court of the land.
“Notwithstanding, the distinction of our case remains for Nigerians, including generations yet unborn, to appreciate.
“The PDP expresses gratitude to millions of Nigerians across board for voting Atiku Abubakar in the election as well as for their unflinching support for our party during the election and throughout the duration of
court proceedings.
“Nevertheless, our party, indeed the nation, awaits the justices of the Supreme Court to release their reasons behind their verdict.”
APC reacts to Supreme Court judgement, tells PDP what to do
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election in February.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Tanko Mohammed in his judgment said, “We have examined all the briefs and exhibits for over two weeks.
“And we agreed that there is no merit in this appeal. The appeal is dismissed. Reasons to be given on a date to be announced.
Reacting, a statement by Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC national publicity secretary,
said, “We congratulate Nigerians, the President; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; party leaders, members and supporters on the Supreme Court’s verdict.
“Following the earlier judgement of the 2019 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which dismissed in its entirety the PDP and Atiku’s petition, the Apex Court was apt in dismissing the appeal for lacking merit.
“The Party hails the Judiciary for standing firm in the face of the PDP and Atiku’s subterfuge and for siding with the Nigerian electorate who through their votes decided to do away with PDP’s ignominious past and re-elect the President Buhari-led APC administration which has ushered in a new era of progressive growth for our country.
“With the ruling of the Supreme Court, which has finally affirmed President Buhari’s election victory, we enjoin the PDP and Atiku to jettison their destructive and disruptive agenda against Nigeria, which they have made up their minds to pursue for the next four years.
“The PDP and Atiku should not confuse opposition politics for their unpatriotic agenda. Democratic politics cannot be practiced in the state of anarchy, confusion which the PDP and Atiku wish to achieve. Such diabolic plan will definitely fail.”
Ben Bruce congratulates Buhari as Atiku loses at Supreme Court
Former lawmaker representing Bayelsa East in the upper legislative chamber, Senator Murray Ben-Bruce, has welcomed the the Supreme Court’s ruling that dismissed the appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared President Muhammadu Buhari the authentic winner of the 2019 presidential election, dismissing the appeal of Atiku in which he sought to upturn the validation of the results of the February 2019 elections by the presidential election tribunal.
The Supreme Court ruling was unanimous as the seven-man panel led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad picked holes in Atiku’s petition.
Reacting, Bruce congratulated Buhari on his victory at Supreme Court.
The Bayelsa lawmaker, however, urged Buhari to eradicate poverty in Nigeria and grow the economy before 2023.
Bruce on his Twitter page wrote: “The Supreme Court has spoken and as the highest court in the land, we cannot but accept its verdict.
“ I congratulate President Buhari and ask attention also be focused on healing the nation.
“There will be a contest in 2023, but now we need to grow the economy and eradicate poverty!”
Okorocha reacts to Supreme Court ruling, tells Atiku to accept defeat
The Imo West Senator, Rochas Okorocha, has urged the 2019 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to accept the ruling of the Supreme Court against him in good fate.
Okorocha, who is the immediate past governor of Imo State, said Atiku should “join hands with his brother to move the country forward”.
He said the Presidential Petition Tribunal and the Supreme Court only authenticated President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha insisted that available statistics proved that Buhari won the 2019 presidential election.
He, however, saluted Atiku for challenging the outcome of the election to a logical conclusion, adding that his action will help to strengthen the nation’s democracy.
The statement reads: “President Buhari won his election looking at the statistics of that poll but the Presidential Tribunal and the Supreme Court only authenticated the victory.
“But what Atiku did was also good for our democracy, it helps to strengthen our democracy but I urge that he now joins hands with his brother, the President to move the nation forward.”
