Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has rejected the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) affirming the election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 exercise.
Giving his official reaction to the judgement during a press briefing at the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja on Thursday, he said he had been a fighter all through his political career and would continue to fight.
While noting that he respects the judgement, he said he has rejected it, saying that the way the election was conducted puts the onus on the judiciary to redress the situation.
The presidential candidate of the PDP observed that the deployment of technology in the exercise was heavily compromised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He maintained that the judgment of the tribunal failed to inspire confidence in the desire for a free and fair election devoid of human manipulations.
He observed that the tribunal’s decision fell far short of expectations as he noted that it is bereft of substantial justice.
Consequently, he said, he has instructed his lawyers to activate his constitutional right to proceed to the Supreme Court.
The former vice president stated: “I am here today to give my official reaction to the judgment delivered yesterday by the Presidential Election Petition Court on the 2023 presidential election.
“As you already know, I approached the court following the declaration by INEC that the APC and its candidate are the winners of the February 25, Presidential Election.
“My decision to go to court is anchored in my belief that the court is the sanctuary of justice. The journey of my political career, as you know, holds so much to the courage and fearless decisions of our judiciary.
“Indeed, I am no stranger to legal battles, and I can say that I have a fair idea of how the court system works. All through my career as a politician, I have been a fighter, and I must say that I have found the judiciary as a worthy pillar to rest on in the pursuit of justice.
“The last presidential election in our country and the way it was managed by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, leaves behind unenviable precedents, which I believe the courts have a duty to redress.
“Our gains in ensuring transparent elections through the deployment of technology was heavily compromised by INEC in the way it managed the last presidential election, and I am afraid that the judgement of the court as rendered by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal yesterday, failed to restore confidence in our dreams of free and fair elections devoid of human manipulations.
“Like I did say at the beginning of this legal battle when I instructed my lawyers to file my petition challenging the outcome of the presidential election, my ultimate goal in this pursuit is to ensure that democracy is further strengthened through the principles and processes of fair hearing.
“Gentlemen of the press, I take great pains to tell you that the decision of the court of first instance on this matter utterly falls far short of that expectation.
“I am therefore here to tell you that, though the judgment of the court yesterday is respected, it is a judgment that I refuse to accept.
“I refuse to accept the judgment because I believe that it is bereft of substantial justice.
“However, the disappointment in the verdict of the court can never destroy my confidence in the judiciary.
“Consequently, I have asked my lawyers to activate my constitutionally guaranteed rights of appeal to the higher court, which, in the instance, is the Supreme Court.
“It is my conviction that the electoral process in Nigeria should be devoid of untidy manipulations and that the outcome of every election should be a perfect reflection of the wishes of the electorate.
“I believe that such is the only way through which our democracy can have a manifest expression of its true meaning.
“Whether I prevail in this quest or not, the record of my effort in ensuring an order of credible elections in Nigeria shall remain for the future generations to evaluate.”
Atiku urged all his supporters to remain steadfast and to take solace in the lesson “that losing a battle is less important than losing the war.”
“We might have lost a battle yesterday, but the war is well ahead of us. And I believe that with our hopes in God, we shall win the war of restoring confidence in our electoral system,” he added.
Speaking earlier, the PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum said that the declaration of the court did not serve the interest of justice.
He explained: “From the faces of Nigerians in all nooks and crannies, you will see hopelessness and despair since the pronouncement of the judgment yesterday.
“Lawyers, politician and other relevant stakeholders from all works of life were also more confused as law and facts were visibly thrown over board.
“However, as law abiding political parties, we received the judgment with shock along with other Nigerians, friends of Nigeria for what is at stake is beyond personal gains.”
He assured that the national leadership of the party is doing everything possible to maintain so that they can give the incumbent government a credible opposition while it continues to pursue its mandate.
Among party chieftains present at the briefing were former Senate President and Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Sen. Adolphus Wabara, Sen. Ben Obi, Sen Abdul Ningi, former govs. Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Babangida Muazu, Achike Udenwa; the party’s former National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus and Kogi State governorship candidate in the forthcoming election, Sen. Dino Melaye.
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