Some party members of the two main opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have reacted to the Supreme Court’s ruling which upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressive Congress at the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Tinubu the winner of the election on March 1.

However, Atiku and Obi, who came second and third respectively, rejected the result and called for the invalidation of Tinubu’s win via the annulment of the poll.

Alleging extensive election fraud against Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima’s ineligibility to run for the presidency, Atiku and Obi contested INEC’s conduct of the polls.

The Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) had on September 6 where the five-member panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani struck out the petitions to upturn the presidential poll and affirmed Tinubu’s victory.

In the appeal, Atiku and Obi argued that the electoral commission failed to electronically transmit results from polling stations to an online portal, which undermined their authenticity.

The PEPC held that Atiku and Obi failed to prove their separate claims against Tinubu and INEC.

Evidently dissatisfied with the PEPC’s ruling, the former vice president and former Anambra State governor proceeded to the Supreme Court to appeal their judicial woes against President Bola Tinubu’s election.

On Thursday, October 26, the apex court in Abuja on Thursday, October 26, finally drew the curtains on the legal battles brought by the PDP and LP alongside its presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi respectively who argued that APC Tinubu’s victory at the poll was marred by irregularities.

Atiku and Obi who came second and third respectively in the February election rejected the result and called for the invalidation of Tinubu’s win via the annulment of the poll.

The Justice John Okoro-led seven-man panel of the Supreme Court on the Presidential election petitions upheld the election petition court’s ruling.

Okoro affirmed the election of Tinubu as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

However, Marti Acka the Head of Zege Mule Campaign Organisation for Atiku reacting to the apex court verdict said the PDP would appeal to the court of heavens for divine intervention.

Speaking to pressmen outside the court after the judgement, Acka said though the matter had been concluded by the highest human court in Nigeria, her principal and party would entreat the Almighty to overturn the ruling and deliver justice.

She said: “Even though the Supreme Court has given its verdict. This is the apex court of the land. Physically and humanly speaking, this feels like it’s over. The shop is closed, the case is closed but the heavens have not closed their doors to this event.

“Our principal, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said he was trusting that justice will prevail at the Supreme Court and that he’s taking his case there; and if not, he’ll appeal to God.

“And we’re taking this over. We’re taking it to the court of heavens and truly, for the first time ever, this nation will see a divine intervention because this is definitely between God and this nation.

“God means well for Nigeria and Nigerians and we expect that anyhow, things are going to be overturned divinely and justice will prevail.”

Sharing the same sentiments with Acka, Dickson Iroegbu of the Labour Party, said the party members would resort to appealing their electoral grievances to God while he expressed disappointment over the apex court’s judgement.

Iroegbu said: “This is not justice. It’s not justice because Nigerians were expecting that this Court would do the right thing. Especially one, in the area of 25%. With the way they handled it, as far as I’m concerned; it’s neither here nor there.

“For me personally, I observed because I was in court, the body language of their lord justices. I also noted that they clearly inferred that credibility was missing when INEC could not transmit results in real time.

“They said that. And for me, that was key. Because when you go for an election, it’s expected to be free, fair, and credible. So, if one leg is not part of it, then there’s something wrong. And that’s my take from all of what they said.

“Outside all of it, we have a nation to build. It’s over, the next place we will appeal to is to God Almighty.” (The Nation)

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