Former President Muhammadu Buhari says the judgement of the presidential election petitions tribunal on Wednesday is a testament that “democracy and the people” have won.

The Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their candidates had asked the tribunal to overturn the results of the election on the grounds of manipulation, irregularities and non-compliance with the electoral act.

But on Wednesday, the tribunal ruled that the petitioners failed to prove their cases and affirmed the victory of Tinubu in the election.

Reacting to the judgement, Buhari said the court has “written history by spurning intimidation” to deliver justice according to the law of the country.

Garba Shehu, Buhari’s spokesperson, quoted the former president as saying that the judgement of the court has shown that “democracy and the people won”.

Buhari advised Tinubu to fulfil the promises he made to the people during his campaigns.

“The former President said the PEPC has “written history” by spurning intimidation and all manner of prejudice to deliver justice according to law to a majority of citizens whose wish is that the choices they made are respected,” Shehu said.

“If anybody has won today it is the democracy and the people. With the verdict of the Court, the election period is over and it is time to put the heat and dust behind us.

“From here, the new APC administration led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu should get the support of everyone in order to deliver the promises it made to the people.”

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has returned to Nigeria after a three-month medical leave in Germany.

The Guardian gathered that Akeredolu arrived in the country via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday afternoon.

The governor had travelled to Germany in June for medical treatment, leaving the affairs of the state in the hands of his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, after transferring power to him in an acting capacity when he wrote to the House of Assembly.

On April 3, Akeredolu proceeded on 15 days and on June 13 he transmitted power to Aiyedatiwa after embarking on medical leave abroad, after which he extended the medical leave indefinitely on June 10.

Confirming the arrival of the governor, his wife, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, in a terse message on her social media handles, posted a picture of her husband in private with the caption “homebound.”

Meanwhile, findings revealed that Akeredolu will be heading to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, from Abuja before coming to Ondo State.

Also confirming the arrival of Akeredolu, a top source close to the governor stated that the governor’s inner political circle will be meeting with him on Friday in Ibadan.

The source, who craved anonymity, disclosed that the politicians had received a message to converge on Ibadan on Friday, where the governor will meet with them by 1:00 pm.

He said, “Not everyone with the government received the message. No one can even say the exact person who sent the message. It is when we get to Ibadan that we will know all those who have been invited.

“I must tell you, we’re so happy to receive Oga (Akeredolu) back. God is indeed on the throne.”

Another source revealed that the meeting will involve all members of the state executive council and House of Assembly.

The source stated that Akeredolu will arrive in Ondo State by next week.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, could not be reached to confirm the governor’s arrival and details of the meeting.

Meanwhile, during his absence, rumours regarding the governor’s health condition circulated, leading to anxiety among the residents of the state. However, the exact nature of the governor’s medical condition was not disclosed.

With the news of the arrival of Akeredolu filtering into the state, the social media space of the state has been buzzing with the belief that his comeback will have significant implications for the political landscape of the state.

As the leader of the ruling party in the state, his return is expected to rally party members and supporters, bolstering their confidence and providing a clear direction for the party’s future ahead of the 2024 governorship election.

The Lagos State House of Assembly, on Thursday, again, rejected three out of the 18 new cabinet nominees resent to the House by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for screening and confirmation, clearing 15.

Following the rejection of his 17 cabinet nominees by the Assembly, Sanwo-Olu sent a fresh list to the House early this week.

The new list by the governor, which was conveyed through a letter, was read by the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, during plenary on Monday.

Sanwo-Olu’s letter read: “After careful consideration of the 17 names that were rejected, I have decided to represent a list of nominees which includes a balanced selection of previously presented and new individuals.

“This list represents a broad political spectrum and diverse backgrounds reflective of the rich diversity of our lovely state. I am confident these new nominees would bring fresh ideas that would help the growth and progress of Lagos.”

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, thus directed the 12-man ad-hoc committee, which screened the previous nominees to take charge of the new list.

The committee commenced screening on Tuesday and reported back to the House on Thursday.

At plenary on Thursday, the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Mojeed Fatai, who led the 12-man ad hoc committee on screening of the new list, presented the report of the committee.

Following this, the confirmation was done through a voice vote by the lawmakers as Obasa mentioned the name of each of the nominees.

Nominees confirmed are Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen, Oluwaseun Oriyomi Osiyemi, Prof. Akinola Emmanuel Abayomi, Dr. Oluwarotimi Omotola Wahab Fashola, Folashade Kaosarat Ambrose-Medem, Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, Bolaji Cécilia Dada, Barakat Akande Bakare, Olugbenga Omotosho, and Mosopefoluwa George.

Others are Dr. Yekini Nurudeen Agbaje, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, Abayomi Samson Oluyomi, Dr. Iyabode Oyeyemi Ayoola, and Sola Shakirudeen Giwa.

Those rejected are former Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Olalere Odusote; former Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Samuel Egube and Tolani Sule Akibu.

The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to convey the list of confirmed nominees to the governor.

The Chairman of Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Pastor Dayo Ekong, has expressed disappointment at the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC), saying that the system has failed the people.

The Tribunal had on Wednesday, affirmed President Bola Tinubu as the duly elected president of Nigeria.

Tinubu was on March 1, 2023, declared winner of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and Peter Obi of LP had filed separate petitions at PEPC, challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the duly elected president of Nigeria.

However, in a consolidated judgment on Wednesday, Justice Haruna Tsammani who led a five-man panel of the tribunal, dismissed the petitions for lack of merit.

The tribunal said Obi, Atiku and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), failed to prove allegations in their respective petitions seeking to overturn the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate’s victory.

Reacting to the Tribunal verdict on Thursday, Ekong in a message to party supporters in the state, urged them not to lose hope.

She called on supporters not to allow themselves to be weighed down, but brace up for the battle ahead.

According to Ekong, Obi has shown what is possible, adding that now is not the time to lose hope nor to give up.

She said: “It’s no secret that the system has failed us. Political bullies, a judiciary that can’t be trusted to deliver justice and social injustices has led to feelings of helplessness and frustration. In these moments, it’s natural to question whether true change will ever materialise.

“Rather than losing hope, we should remember what has been achieved so far. His Excellency Peter Obi has shown us what is possible. Now is not the time to lose hope nor to give up because it is what THEY want you to do. They are ruiners and spoilers and we must see this through to the end.

“We refuse to accept defeat and we owe it to our generations yet unborn to continue to push and fight for what we know is right, just and true.

“Do not allow yourself to be weighed down. Take a deep breath and brace yourselves; for the battle will be long and tough, however, we will triumph!!!”

Ekong also urged the supporters to pray and not faint, and trust in God as they continue to demand for a better Nigeria.

“Let us trust in God to guide us even as we continue to demand for the Nigeria which we all love and cherish.

“God is God and still on the throne. We need to pray and not faint nor be weary. It’s important to overcome territorial powers and blockers of destiny.

“I say a new Nigeria is possible,” she added.

President Bola Tinubu, who is currently in India for the G-20 Summit, shared his conviction with Nigerians during an interaction with them on Thursday evening.

The President called on Nigerians to harness the country's rich diversity as a uniquely powerful tool for advancing prosperity and national development for the benefit of all citizens, emphasizing that our diversity must be leveraged to drive economic growth, innovation, and social progress.

"We are here to present a new future to you. A future of a country that is so rich, endowed, and highly populated. Very dynamic, unique in its culture, tradition, and ethnicity. That is what will make our prosperity possible, if only we can make use of our diversity for prosperity," he implored.

President Tinubu also told the meeting that he ran for the highest office in the country because of the fact that, despite the great human and natural resource wealth of the nation, the leadership and public sector management deficit in the country held Nigeria back from manifest destiny.

"We are not poor in knowledge. We are not poor in human resources. We are only poor in management and leadership, and that is why I ran for president, to help all of us mould the soul of our country in the right direction," the President said.

Reflecting on the trajectory of his life, which prepared him for leadership, the President told the meeting that was attended by several Nigerian students studying in India, that with dedication, honesty, determination, and a change of mindset, they can reach for the top in their respective careers.

"Good education brought me here and I am happy to stand before you here as the President of Nigeria. I started small. I was a security guard. I was tutor in school. I was a brilliant student. I joined Deloitte and was trained by one of the biggest accounting firms in the world, because of my education," the President recollected.

"When I joined them, I asked them, do you have branches in Nigeria and they said, 'we have a lot of clients that will take you, if you want to go home.' That's how I got to Exxon Mobil and was a very successful accountant, auditor-general, and treasurer, until I joined politics with a can-do attitude.

"You can also do it; do not be despondent in any way. Nigeria is ready to accommodate all. It does not matter which part of Nigeria you are from," the President exclaimed.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, while addressing the students, explained that President Tinubu's foreign policy thrust included four Ds, with one of them being Diaspora, which focuses on improving the quality of services that Nigerians in the Diaspora receive at Nigerian Missions abroad.

"The issue of passport delays will be a thing of the past. You won't have to wait indefinitely for your passports to be ready. Secondly, you are the first point of contact between Nigerians and other countries. We can't grow beyond what our people project. That is why it is very important for you to project a consistently positive image of Nigeria online and off-line," Nigeria's Chief Diplomat said.

Earlier, Business magnate, Mr. Tony Elumelu, told pressmen that Nigeria was the best place to invest and that a bet on Nigerians is one of the best bets anyone can ever make, citing Nigerian success in all countries of the world.

"We believe in Africa, but especially in Nigeria. An investment in Nigeria promises a return that is scarcely found anywhere in the world and I do business across several continents," the Africapitalist concluded.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party has rejected the judgement of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, describing it as “not conterminous with justice.”

Obi who spoke today at Onitsha acknowledged the PEPC's adherence to statutory time frames, expressed respect for the Court's views and rulings but openly disagreed with the judgment's rationale and final conclusions. He announced his intention, in his capacity as a presidential candidate and on behalf of the Labour Party, to immediately challenge this judgment through the appellate process, as permitted by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Highlighting the fact that the PEPC is not the ultimate authority in this matter, Obi emphasized that the responsibility now rests with the Supreme Court, which he expressed confidence in. He urged Nigerians to maintain their focus, steadfastness, and commitment to peaceful processes while emphasizing the importance of adhering to the rule of law. He made it clear that the matter has not yet reached its logical conclusion.

Obi revealed that his legal team has already received firm instructions to file an appeal against the PEPC's decision. He expressed unwavering determination in his pursuit of justice, not only for himself but also for the multitude of supporters across the nation whose electoral mandate he said was unjustly thwarted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Obi underscored the pivotal role of solid national institutions and the public's confidence in them for a thriving democracy. He pointed out that electoral litigations could be significantly reduced if INEC discharged its statutory functions transparently and fairly. However, when such bodies falter, as he said INEC did in this case, the judiciary becomes an imperative recourse.

In closing, Obi extended his gratitude to every Nigerian who has supported their cause and the campaign for a New Nigeria built on principles of fairness, equity, justice, the rule of law, peace, prosperity, inclusiveness, sustainable growth, and development. He specifically thanked his legal team, the Labour Party, the Obidient Family, and all those who steadfastly attended the court proceedings. His message concluded with a blessing for all Nigerians and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I will take the time to analyze the just delivered judgment of the court of appeal in Obi /Atiku V Tinubu’s Presidential election petition subsequently but before then, this is what I need you to know about not just election petitions but every other court proceedings in general. 

As a politician, try as much as possible to win the election and for you to be declared elected or returned elected. The reason for this is that there is a higher chance of the court affirming your election than sacking you. In fact, in all the presidential election petition cases that have ever taken place in Nigeria since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy, the court has never sacked an elected president, rather the court always affirmed their election. 

Despite the promises your lawyers have made to you, you should know that it is extremely difficult and technical to prove that an election was rigged in today’s Nigeria. This is not an injustice or judicial problem but a statutory problem. The threshold that is been provided in the constitution, the electoral act and other statutes for an aggrieved contester to meet before he can prove that he was the rightful winner of the election or that the person that was declared a winner did not actually win or prove that the election was rigged or marred with malpractices is high. The threshold to prove that is not just high but also technical. 

Not just in election cases, but even in criminal or other civil cases, it is easier to defend yourself or to be the defendant than to be the plaintiff or the prosecutor. It is an old common law rule that he who alleges must prove, so if you claim that the election was rigged or marred with electoral malpractices, the onus is on you to prove to the court beyond every reasonable doubt that the election was truly rigged. If you are the defendant, you don’t need to prove that the election was not rigged or that you were duly elected, it is not your job to do that. 

This brings me to my next point; always try to be the defendant or respondent instead of the plaintiff or the applicant. Let them be the ones taking you to court instead of you taking other people to court. Financially speaking or resource-wise, it is more expensive to file a case or institute a fresh matter than to file a defense or response to a case. 

Local parlance will say “no be who first call police Dey win case” or “no be who first run reach police station Dey win case”. This pidgin popular quote tends to be true in many cases; because if you claim that you were wronged, you will have to prove that you are truly wronged for the court to believe you and while you are trying to prove that you were wronged to the satisfaction of the court, you will as well have to pay critical attention to statutory provisions and rules of court to guide you if not you will lose the case on technical ground before the substance of the case is even determined. 

Losing on technical grounds means that your case was not even decided on its merits or the substance of your case was not even looked into yet but because you did not pay attention to the rules guiding the filing of your case or the process to conduct the case, the case was either dismissed, struck out or that the other party won the case; this may be due to lack of service, ie you did not serve or properly serve the other party, statute barred ie the time within which you are to bring that case to court has passed, lack of jurisdiction of the court or that the case was not properly filed or instituted etc. 

For the sake of emphasis, always remember that “no be who first call police Dey win case”, so lower your expectations while you run to court in your quest for justice. Most importantly, bear in mind the judges are mere humans like you who can make mistakes or can be bribed. That is why you might have a good case, conduct the case in the expected manner and you will still lose the case. Hence, the court or the judges are not always right, not even the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the land. This is why the late Robert Jackson of the United States Supreme Court made this famous quote about the Supreme Court; “We are not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible only because we are final”.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, says the “war is not over”.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the party on Thursday, Atiku said he has asked his lawyers to proceed to the Supreme Court.

Atiku had challenged the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in court, but the presidential election tribunal threw out his petition and upheld Tinubu’s election.

In his reaction at the PDP Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku said, ” 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.”

ad
Atiku maintained the stance that the election was manipulated in favour of President Bola Tinubu, but said his dissatisfaction with the tribunal verdict does not mean he has lost hope in the judiciary.

“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.

“On this note, I urge all my supporters to remain steadfast. I urge them to take solace in an immortal lesson I learned from my leader and mentor, the late Shehu Yar’Adua, 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. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the Press, I thank you for your attention,” he said.

A faction of the Labour Party led by Lamidi Apapa has accepted the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court on the case filed by the party’s presidential candidate in the last election, Peter Obi.

DAILY POST recalls that the tribunal on Wednesday ruled that the petition filed by Obi and his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar and their parties had no merit and unanimously upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu.

The judgment was delivered by the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Haruna Tsammani, assisted by other members of the panel-Justices Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Stephen Adah, Moses Ugo and Abba Mohammed.

Reacting, Apapa in a statement issued by the factional National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, said it was shameful that Obi and his legal team were unable to prove the allegations of irregularities in the February 25 election.

Apapa also accused Obi of allegedly siphoning money donated for his presidential campaign in 2022.

The statement said: “It is a shame that the legal team of Mr Peter Obi failed to advise him properly before going to the tribunal.

“Peter Obi has just gone on a wild goose chase. Imagine the candidate that failed to fund the party in order to engage the number of required polling agents, also the filing of the witnesses outside the stipulated time has shown that the legal team is a failure.

“Some of us have been saying that Peter Obi decided to go to the tribunal to justify all the money he collected during the campaign, all that money was corruptly siphoned”.

Apapa was at the tribunal at least twice to witness the court proceedings as the party chairman.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said Nigeria is enmeshed in plethora of challenges.

This is as he called for enduring solutions to the deepening security crisis that plagues the country.

Akpabio spoke at the graduation dinner and award night for participants of the National Defence College Course 31 on Wednesday in Abuja.

Akpabio stated that the college had spent its precious time in nurturing and equipping the participants with requisite strategic knowledge in the past 11 months of intellectual toil, pressure and anxiety.

According to him, the nation demands that the government deliver a dividend of democracy based on the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Tinubu and improve the quality of governance.

“So I look forward to receiving the thoughtful and workable solutions to the myriad of challenges bedevilling our nation. We also remember that the nation is also caught up in global challenges, which have far-reaching consequences,” the Senate president stated. “Meanwhile, the world has grown from the external defensive approach to security management, where the military and security agencies were forced to be the exclusive custodians of security globally.”

Akpabio, who was represented by Senate Committee on Navy chair Gbenga Daniel, stressed that “the war has several factors, both external and internal, easily impact on security of nations and it behooves on the security to develop resilience to all the dynamics that impact negatively on our national security.”

He added, “It is, however, heartwarming to note that for this Course 31, the theme was ‘Building Resilience for National Security Development’. It is my sincere hope that the solutions emanating from this college will become veritable tools that will enhance defence transformation and national security in years ahead.”

Akpabio explained that the defence corporation with friendly nations in Africa and the world had brought great benefits to Nigeria and other members and expressed appreciation to foreign participants for partnering with Nigeria and the National Defence College