Former President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, said the verdict of the Supreme Court of Nigeria which reaffirmed the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the February 25th 2023 presidential election is a welcome development to majority of the citizens.
The ex-president in a statement issued by his former senior aide on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the eight months of expensive legal battles of the Presidential candidates of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the Labour Party, Peter Obi, have come to an end.
While acknowledging the good fight of the opposition parties over the contested mandate, Buhari urged Atiku and Peter Obi to extend hands of fellowship to the president and allow their administration to focus on the promises made to Nigerians during their election campaign.
The statement reads, “Former President Muhammadu Buhari says the decision to dismiss the appeals by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), by the Supreme Court, is a welcome relief to him and to majority of the citizens of Nigeria.
“The former President repeated what he said on the earlier 6 September verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court, which affirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory, that the welcome decision is “a reaffirmation of the will of the majority of the people against the determined will of a hard-fighting minority.”
“Now that we have arrived at the last bus-stop, after a tortuous 8-months of expensive legal journey, the nation deserves a break. The opposition has fought a good fight.
“Having now exhausted their rights as constitutionally allowed, they should take the hand of fellowship extended by the Tinubu/Shettima government. Let them allow the Government to run their administration and the people to enjoy the full benefits of the promises the All Progressives Congress (APC) made.”
“The former President expressed concern over low voting percentages all over the country, especially in urban areas, and said this should change, given the acceptance and vibrancy of democracy in Nigeria.
“He wishes the President and his team a successful term in office.”
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.
The apex court in its ruling dismissed the appeals by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart Peter Obi.
A seven-judge panel ruled as without merit the opposition appeals over claims of fraud, electoral law violations, and Tinubu’s ineligibility to run for president.
The apex court thrashed all the grounds of appeal of Atiku and PDP on qualification, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, the 25% votes in FCT, and electoral malpractices.
