By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for standing on the side of democracy by ensuring a transparent judgement by the Supreme Court that affirmed the mandate of Cross River, Ebonyi, Abia, Bauchi, Plateau, Kano, Lagos, and Zamfara state governors’ election.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, stated this in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Awka on Saturday.

Reports of the governors winning their opponents who contested their mandate at the court had recently flooded the media space.

The governors were declared in March 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winners of the governorship elections in their states. But their victories were challenged by their rivals from the election petition tribunals to the Supreme Court.

Opara in the statement said the judgements of the Supreme Court have again shown that there is a reawakening that has justified the citizens’ continued faith in the greatness of Nigeria.

According to him, the president has once again renewed the hope of Nigerians in the democratic process.

The party noted that the president has once again renewed the hope of Nigerians in the democratic process.

Continuing, the APGA National Publicity Secretary said: “The Supreme Court have once again strengthened our drive towards democratic consolidation, and I must say this is coming at a time when various insidious predictions have been made by some groups and persons who, at some point in their political history, enjoyed the benevolence of the judiciary.

“In a special way, we commend the federal government led by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for once again renewing our hope in the democratic process.

“His non-interference in the judicial process is a testament to his commitment to ensuring the birth of a new Nigeria where the rule of law reigns supreme.

“To all the beneficiaries of yesterday’s judgement, we call on all of them to see Nigeria away from the prism of their political biases. Beyond politics, there is a country to grow and a people to build.

“This has been the position of the APGA as a party founded on true progressivism. At every point, APGA is more concerned about the welfare of our brothers and sisters, especially the teeming majority, whose only chances of survival are government and good governance.

“We charge other political parties to, like APGA, seize this moment to renew their hope in the project of Nigeria and the prosperity of its people. There is a lot more to be proud of in Nigeria than we have said.

“The ongoing fight against corruption, beginning with the Federal Cabinet, and the commendable move by Mr. President to lead by example and cut down on avoidable costs.

“This is similar to what the APGA-led government in Anambra State is doing. For instance, in Anambra today, there is a common saying within government circles, which is “Cut all cutables, boycott all boycottables.”

“The Anambra State Government, in the first month of the Prof. Chukwum Soludo-led administration, reviewed the cost of facility management from 137 million Naira monthly to 11 million Naira monthly, saving the state a whopping 126 million Naira of taxpayer money now deployed to other productive ends.”

While noting that the hitherto humongous list of political appointees has been drastically reduced, Opara said that the government spent over 300 million naira in the payment of salaries for these appointees.

He added: “This accounts for the now-historic drastic reduction in recurrent expenditure of the Anambra 2024 budget, with over 70% of the current budget devoted to capital expenditure.

“It is for this reason that Anambra is today one of the most fiscally viable sub-nationals, ranking high in most socioeconomic indices of development.

“If we continue to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, we will not only leave no one behind but also end endemic and pervasive poverty in the country, the statement concluded.”

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