The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reacted to the supreme court Judgment dismissing the party’s suit challenging the candidacy of the Vice President-elect of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Kashim Shettima.
The former vice president in a tweet on Friday, said that it “is not a setback to my quest for justice. Our legal team are primed to robustly prove that the election of February 25 was fraudulent, did not comply with the constitutional requirements and the electoral guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and that the announced winner was not even qualified to contest the poll.
‘The battle for democracy and the enthronement of a new order to spur growth and development in Nigeria is one to which I have committed my all and for which I am not ready to walk away at this point when our nation is at crossroads. We know that sooner than later, our esteemed Justices will make the pronouncement that will serve as a befitting requiem for mandate bandits.
“I urge my supporters to exercise patience and conduct themselves peaceably as we diligently conduct our litigation at the Presidential Election Tribunal Court.”
The outgoing Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, in a tweet, said “the Law is devoid of sentiments. There was no case in the first place. We will continue to educate them.”
In the same vein, the human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said, “I hope the Supreme Court judgment will not overshadow the petitions pending before the Court of Appeal as it relates to the contentious issue of Shettima’s double nomination. I hope the Court of Appeal will pronounce on the merit of the issue. The PDP’s case was a distraction.
“The outcome was predictable. It wasn’t going to be tenable given the state of the law on pre-election matters.
“It is tidier to raise it as a ground in the petition and contend that the double nomination eroded Tinubu/Shettima’s qualification. This case was always a distraction.”
“Well, the Supreme Court has spoken, and we must accept that they are final, not because they are correct, but because they are final. The inauguration will go on. I pray that God will give Tinubu the wisdom to govern Nigeria well until the final determination of our main suit, which we pray the PDP wins. Whether or not we win, we shall continue to wish our country and its leaders well, even though we are disappointed,” said Reno Omokri, a former media aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, tweeted, “Agbaya, Pls I’m in a good mood. Celebrating our victory at the Supreme Court.”
