Politics
Tribunal’s Verdict Indicates Nigerians’ Rejection Of Atiku, Obi -Coalition
Hundreds of Nigerians on Wednesday staged an advocacy walk around the immediate perimeters of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, declaring their acceptance of the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court PEPC which affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 Presidential Election.
The peaceful protesters, under the aegis of Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative (CGGCI) said the tribunal’s verdict also validates Nigerian’s rejection of the plaintiffs, especially the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; and that of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
National Coordinator of the coalition, Comrade Okpokwu Udenyi, who led the peaceful walk also urged Atiku and others to join hands with Tinubu to move Nigeria forward.
He said; “We want to thank the Justices of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal who have sat as the Justices of the tribunal for delivering a sound judgment today.
“It is not a mistake that we are Nigerians by providence and God Almighty has brought President Tinubu to liberate the sufferings of the Nigerian people. Asiwaju has come with so many promises and he is fulfilling them.
“Within 100 days in office, he was able to sign the students loans Act into law. Within 100 days in office, he has initiated measures to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal that was done by the previous administration. Within 100 days in office, he was able to diversify the Nigerian economy recreating ministries and assigning them appropriately.
“Within 100 days in office, Asiwaju has continued to take giant strides. The world has come to reckon with Nigeria. And the United States of America has invited him for a side talk at the on-going NUGA games in Portugal. And being the only African leader invited for the meeting, it is a great indication that the world has agreed with the mandate of the Nigerian people that Asiwaju still remains the choice of the people”.
On Atiku and others who took the matter to the tribunal, Ogenyi said; “They are Nigerians. We, Nigerians rejected them with the mandate to lead us through the ballot. They should accept the verdict of the Court and move on with the President.
“The President is a welcoming President as you can see from Chief Olabode George who was called out for criticizing the President. Chief George said before the general elections that if Bola Tinubu becomes the President he will relocate to Ghana. Today, he is still in Nigeria enjoying the dividends of democracy under the same President Bola Tinubu.
“We are saying that Atiku, Peter Obi and Kwankwaso are all welcome to be part of the administration as all what we want is to ensure the success and progress of the Nigerian system which we believe is going to be obtainable under the President Tinubu administration”.PEPC: Why Labour Party rejected Tribunal judgement.
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
