The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed disappointment in the Supreme Court’s judgment that upheld President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25, 2023, presidential election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously declared President Tinubu the winner.
In a statement issued by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party voiced its dismay regarding the court’s reasoning in response to the appeal filed by the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Ologunagba asserted that the PDP and many Nigerians were concerned about the Supreme Court’s judgment, which, in their view, contradicted the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act of 2022, and the guidelines and regulations issued by INEC for the election.
The PDP expected the Supreme Court to uphold the law and deliver substantial justice by considering the relevant constitutional requirements for declaring a presidential election winner in Nigeria. They also raised concerns about issues such as the requirement for a statutory 25 percent of votes in the FCT, electoral rule violations, and manipulation of election results by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ologunagba questioned how the Supreme Court could condone “serious issues of forgery, falsehood, and perjury” on technical grounds, leaving many Nigerians in a state of despondency.
Despite the disappointment, Ologunagba asserted that the PDP remained undeterred. He encouraged Nigerians not to be discouraged by the judgment and to continue their pursuit of a credible electoral system that ensures a government’s legitimacy derives from the people. The statement highlighted the growing concern about the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court as the last resort for the common man.
