The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Nigerians will take to the streets in jubilation if the declaration of Bola Tinubu as president is invalidated.
But in a swift response, the ruling party said the PDP is merely hallucinating, insisting that President Tinubu has the mandate of Nigerians and would function in that capacity as required by the Constitution.
Pedro Obaseki, the Director of Strategy and Research of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) who addressed the press ahead of the judgment by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), also expressed confidence that the PDP believed in the ability of the judiciary to deliver a fair judgment that will be acceptable to the parties concerned.
He also said because of the mounting evidence in their possession, the tribunal judges will summon the courage to address issues raised, adding that the image of the country is at stake, a development he said the judges will not take lightly.
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Obaseki, who is a lawyer, specifically spoke about the petition by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) seeking the nullification of President Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima’s victory in the 2023 election and noted that the “issue of eligibility is key”.
He said: “There is still a watershed moment and that moment might just be provided by the Allied Peoples Movement petition in this election. That does not in any way discontinue the other mounting evidence. We were here when the election took place, we were here when the election was declared and we are still waiting for those that want to celebrate, they have not celebrated.
“You may be shocked that immediately there is a judgment that does not validate the supposed election of President Tinubu, people will run into the streets to celebrate; that is the truth.”
Responding, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Barrister Felix Moka said: “The PDP or whoever that is thinking that the election of President Tinubu would be nullified is only hallucinating.
“The president won the election clear and clean and the opposition has no evidence against him.”
We won’t favour Tinubu, Atiku, Obi at tribunal – CJN
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayoode Ariwoola, has denied that he had a telephone conversation with President Bola Tinubu and the Director of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, over the pending post-election petitions before the Presidential Election Petitions Court.
Ariwoola said the judiciary had no plans to favour any of the petitioners and the respondents in the petitions pending before the court, especially Tinubu, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s (LP) Peter Obi.
In a statement by the Director of Information of the Supreme Court, Festus Akande on Wednesday, the CJN said there was no iota of truth in the narrative in the social media.
The CJN pleaded with Nigerians to cooperate with the judiciary to serve the country to its full capacity.
He said: “Nigerians have been following the proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal with admirable enthusiasm. So, it is advisable we all sustain the tempo and follow it up to the end, instead of relapsing into the realm of speculations and rumour peddling that will not do anyone any good.
“If this current trend of falsehood and mudslinging is sustained, our nation may not make the desired progress. The courts are statutorily established to serve the best interest of the masses; and we are ever poised to do that to the best of our ability.
“The rule of law and supremacy of the Nigerian Constitution will always be upheld and applied in every matter that comes before the courts; as the facts presented and the subsisting laws must be applied in determining the merit or otherwise of each matter.
“The public should rest assured that justice will be done to all matters pending in the various courts across the country, irrespective of who is involved.”
By Baba Martins & John Chuks Azu
