Reacting to the judgement, Uwazurike said in a statement that the tribunal put technicality above justice.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former President-General of Aka Ikenga-Ikenga, Ohanaeze Ndigbo intellectual think-tank, Goddy Uwazurike, has described the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday as “naked injustice”.
The tribunal dismissed the petitions filed by the Labour Party and Peter Obi, and the Peoples Democratic Party and Atiku Abubakar against the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on the judgement which has drawn varying reactions from the public, Uwazurike said in a statement that the tribunal put technicality above justice.
The 2014 Constitution Conference delegate wrote, “The judgment today showed that Justice is lying prostrate while technicality stood triumphant over it. Indeed, the PEPT relied technicality in analysing the trial including the evidence of the witnesses. To be blunt, the Tribunal failed to realize that it (judiciary) was on trial in the court of the people. The people expected that the verification of the scores will be a primary duty of the Tribunal.
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“People expected that the Tribunal will order the ‘Independent’ INEC will be truly independent. INEC bluntly refused to produce the documents used in the election and the Tribunal did nothing. This amounted to unfair trial because the defense decided the evidence that will be available, not withstanding the Notice to Produce served on it and the reassurance of chair that it will comply.
“In the end, the Tribunal ruled that the petitioner failed to prove his case. This Tribunal failed to respond to the question,WHO WON? Those who benefit from injustice see nothing wrong in the system.
“World over, the judiciary does not rely on technicality. It relies on substansial justice, on what the people understand.
“Those who were beaten up during the election, those who were denied the right to vote, those who witnessed the mutilation of results are still wondering.. what happened?? Election judgment based on technicality is naked injustice.”