I have instructed my solicitors to exercise the constitutionally given right I have to appeal to the higher court, in this case the Supreme Court.
Bola Tinubu’s victory at the February 2023 election was declared by the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT), but the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has challenged this decision.
The petitions of Atiku, Peter Obi, and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) were all dismissed by the court on Wednesday, but Atiku, the leader of the largest opposition party, claims he is unfazed and has instructed his attorneys to fight the decision.
“Gentlemen of the press, I take great pains to inform you that the court’s first instance ruling on this subject completely falls short of that expectation. The court’s decision from yesterday is respected, but I refuse to accept it, which is why I’m here to inform you about it. The judgement lacks substantial justice in my opinion, hence I will not accept it. In a press conference on Thursday, he stated that his disappointment with the court’s decision “can never undermine my faith in the judicial system.
“As a result, I’ve instructed my lawyers to exercise the constitutionally guaranteed right I have to appeal to the higher court—in this case, the Supreme Court. My conviction is that there should be no shady machinations in the Nigerian democratic process, and the results of every election should be an exact reflection of the preferences of the electorate.
“In my opinion, this is the only way our democracy can clearly convey its actual essence. No matter how successful I am in this endeavour, the evidence of my efforts to ensure that Nigeria holds fair elections will stand as a legacy for future generations to consider, he continued.
His party had earlier disagreed with the Tribunal’s decision and declared that it will speak with its solicitors about its future move.
Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing Tinubu as the winner, Atiku, who finished second in the poll, claims he won the process.
