President of the Cultural Credibility Development Initiative (CCDI), Ide Goddy Uwazurike, has expressed disappointment over the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), noting that it was based on technicalities. He also said that the five-man tribunal which yesterday (Wednesday) gave its verdict in favour of President Bola Tinubu failed to answer a fundamental question.

According to Uwazurike in a statement issued yesterday evening, “The judgment today showed that justice is lying prostrate while technicality stood triumphant over it. Indeed, the PEPT relied on technicality in analysing the trial including the evidence of the witnesses. To be blunt, the Tribunal failed to realize that it (judiciary) was on trial in the court of the people.”

Continuing, the seasoned lawyer said: “The people expected that the verification of the scores will be a primary duty of the Tribunal. People expected that the Tribunal will order the “Independent” INEC will be truly independent. INEC bluntly refused to produce the documents used in the election and the Tribunal did nothing. This amounted to unfair trial because the defense decided the evidence that will be available, notwithstanding the Notice to Produce served on it and the reassurance of chair that it will comply.”

Uwazurike lamented that, “In the end, the Tribunal ruled that the petitioner failed to prove his case,” adding: “This Tribunal failed to respond to the question, WHO WON?”

The CCDI President noted that “those who benefit from injustice see nothing wrong in the system.”

He added: “World over, the judiciary does not rely on technicality. It relies on substantial justice, on what the people understand.

“Those who were beaten up during the election, those who were denied the right to vote, those who witnessed the mutilation of results are still wondering . . . what happened??

“Election judgment based on technicality is naked injustice.”

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