The senate president, Mr Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated President Bola Tinubu and his deputy, Mr Kashim Shettima on the confirmation of their victory in the February 25, 2023 presidential election by the tribunal.
Recall that a five-man panel of the presidential election petition court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, yesterday quashed the petitions filed by the All Peoples Movement (APM), Messrs Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) challenging the declaration of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.
The petitioners alleged among others things the non-qualification of Tinubu to run for the presidency, irregularities and corrupt practices during the election, Tinubu’s failure to meet full constitutional requirements to be declared the winner of the election due to his inability to secure 25 per cent of the votes in Abuja, his forfeiture of $460,000 in the US as well as the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically.
The tribunal said the petitions filed by the three litigants were all devoid of merit.
Reacting, Akpabio said the ruling was a resounding affirmation of the popular mandate of the Nigerian people for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket of the APC as delivered at the polls
The senate president urges Nigerians to continue to support the Tinubu government in its drive to deliver the Renewed Hope Agenda of the ruling party.
“I applaud the judgement of the presidential election petition tribunal for upholding the victory of our President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and our Vice President, His Excellency, Kashim Shettima, at the 2023 presidential polls.
“I also congratulate our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), on its vindication by this well-thought-out landmark judgement.
“This judgement has expressly affirmed the popular mandate of the Nigerian people for our party, the APC and its Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, freely given at the February 2023 polls.
“As the Court has painstakingly addressed all the issues raised by the petitioners, I urge all concerned to accept the judgement and join hands with the Tinubu government in its bold efforts to secure the wellbeing of our people,” he said.
For his part, the governor of Ogun State, Mr Dapo Abiodun, said the tribunal’s verdict was an affirmation of the trust reposed in the president by Nigerians as evidenced in the outcome of the presidential election.
He described the judgment as sound, detailed, and comprehensive, noting that the judges displayed unmatched courage in the discharge of their duties.
“It is heartwarming that the tribunal judges did not succumb to intimidation by the opposition, who deployed various antics to sway the judgement in their favour.
‘The judgement is a further testament to the fact that the judiciary is the last hope of our people,” he said.
Similarly, the speaker of the house of representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas and the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu congratulated the president on his victory.
Spokesman for Abbas, Mr Musa Krishi, quoted the speaker as saying that the dismissal of the petitions against Tinubu’s victory added more legitimacy and credibility to his government and the administration.
The Speaker noted that while the petitioners duly exercised their rights by approaching the tribunal to table their grievances, the court also duly weighed the arguments and evidence presented before it before arriving at the judgment.
Abbas lauded the judiciary for living up to its billing as the true arbiter in any case, based on the way it adjudicated on the presidential election petitions before it.
The speaker also hailed the Judiciary for its critical role in the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria, noting that the tribunal’s judgment has strengthened democratic processes in the country.
He said the judgment vindicated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which duly declared Tinubu the winner of the Presidential poll based on the votes the President received from Nigerians.
He urged the president’s opponents in the presidential election as well as all Nigerians across the political, religious and ethnic lines to support the Tinubu administration towards achieving a safe and prosperous country for all.
Similarly Edu said the affirmation of Tinubu as the duly elected by the tribunal validates the love Nigerians have for the president as well as a reaffirmation of the popular mandate they bestowed on him at the poll.
The minister said the court’s verdict was “a triumph of truth over pernicious propaganda and a vindication of a man whom God has chosen to pull our country from the doldrums.”
“Let me, on behalf of the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, congratulate Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his well-deserved election tribunal victory.
“As the then National Women Leader of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) I joined Mr President to campaign across the 36 states and Abuja and I know how Nigerians accepted his Renewed Hope Agenda. He will not fail Nigerians!
“Now that the court had spoken overwhelmingly, the petitioners should join Mr. President to alleviate the Poverty and renew the hopes of millions of Nigerians which will help to reduce the Humanitarian crisis across the country.
“This victory is a double victory as he marks 100 days of exceptional leadership to Nigeria. The victory is deserving, and proper. It reaffirms and re-validates the love Nigerians have for our dear president which they demonstrated in February with the overwhelming and popular mandate they bestowed on him,” spokesman for the minister Mr. Rasheed Olanrewaju said in a statement.
