Atiku Abubakar, has taken a critical look at the Supreme Court judgement of October 6, validating the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and described it as a bad omen for the development of democracy in the country
By Emeka Alex Duru
Standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has taken a critical look at the Supreme Court judgement of October 6, validating the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and described it as a bad omen for the development of democracy in the country.
Atiku who made the declaration at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, October 30, stated that the negative impacts of the judgement would reverberate beyond the Tinubu administration to future elections in the country. Among the effects of the judgement, he said, is the erosion of trust in Nigeria’s electoral system, arguing that with the turn of events, it would be difficult to convince Nigerians to vote in future elections, knowing that their choice may not prevail, after all.
Atiku added that with the endorsement of Tinubu by the apex court, politicians are in future, free to do anything to win, knowing that the courts will uphold their victory. The judgement, he emphasised, will encourage resort to self-help by contestants, violence and anarchy.
READ ALSO:
BREAKING: Supreme Court dismisses Atiku’s appeal, upholds Tinubu’s victory
The former Vice President insisted that Tinubu was not qualified for the election, let alone winning the contest. Tinubu, the candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), according to Atiku, broke the laws of the land in presenting fraudulent credentials for the election and should not have been declared president in the first place. He maintained that the issues involved were not personal but needed to be pointed out in order to strengthen and deepen democracy in the land.
Atiku stated that by participating in the election, he has contributed in expanding the frontiers of democracy in the country, adding that the judgement of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPT) and Supreme Court on the outcome, left much to be desired.
The PDP candidate took swipes on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for deceiving Nigerians with pledges of using electronic devices to conduct the elections but later reneged and to worsen matters, took sides with Tinubu in working against the wills of the people.
Atiku recalled his struggles in the enthronement of democracy in the court, even at the risk of his personal liberty and declared that his efforts were not personal but for the future of the country. He vowed to continue in the quest for a better Nigeria, despite the present set back, stressing that history will vindicate him at last.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday, October 6, dismissed the appeal by Atiku against the judgement of the PEPC on Tinubu’s electoral victory. In arriving at its judgement, the seven-member panel of the apex court agreed that Atiku’s appeal lacked merit.
