Why Peter Obi, Atiku Should Withdraw Petitions Against Tinubu’s Victory, APC Chieftain Obidike Reveals

• The presidential candidates of the Labour Party and the PDP, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, have been advised to withdraw their petitions against Bola Tinubu's victory
• Obidike Chukwuebuka, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), gave the advice in a chat with Legit.ng
• The APC chieftain said Atiku and Peter Obi have nothing to prove as Nigerians credibly elected Tinubu

FCT, Abuja - Weeks after the conduct of the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) flagbearer, has continued to insist he won despite coming third, according to the official results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Obi has since filed a petition challenging the victory of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Election Petition Court.

The former Anambra governor is, however, not alone as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)'s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who came second in the poll, is also challenging Tinubu's victory.

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The duo claim they are the election winners, not the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)'s candidate.

Don't waste your time, APC chieftain Obidike tells Peter Obi, Atiku

Commenting on the development, Obidike Chukwuebuka, a member of Contact and Mobilization of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, advised Obi and Atiku "not to waste their time in court because they’ve nothing to prove."

"Tinubu has been credibly and legitimately elected as the President of Nigeria according to the law. The people have spoken and I’m optimistic the judiciary cannot go against the will of the people," Obidike told Legit.ng.

Obidike tells Atiku, Peter Obi to stop distracting Nigerians

Speaking further, Obidike said it is acceptable for Atiku and Obi to challenge the election in court.

However, the APC chieftain, who hails from Anambra state, said they should pursue their cases in court "quietly and peacefully."

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His words:

"In every democratic society, in every practising democracy, there are winners and losers of election.

“Those who lose elections have alternative remedies and it’s unhealthy and undemocratic for them to distract and disturb Nigerians in the way they are.

"What Obi and Atiku supporters are doing is very unhealthy for a democratic society. It amounts to demagoguery. So, I’m happy they’re following the political institutions and due process in expressing their grievances but they should do it quietly and peacefully.

“They should also, as well-meaning citizens, allow the President-Elect to focus on Governing. They should stop distracting and disturbing him.

"From the inception of Nigerian democracy, there’s no election that has been conducted that has not been contested in court even the first republic. We’ve electoral issues where they had to go to court, even in the second republic, we’ve Awolowo challenging Shagari.

“The issue of going to court challenging the validity of an election is a norm that’s why the law is there. The onus is on the person challenging the validity of that election who is called the petitioner to prove. It’s not on the President-elect to prove that the election is fair because he’s not the one taking the matter to court. It’s the other party who’s saying the election is not fair.

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"The issue of social media trial saying that the election is not free and fair is wrong until the court determines. This is a democratic society and we should act like one, the victory of the President-Elect is a victory for all Nigerians.”

Protesters send serious warning to Atiku, Peter Obi over call for interim government

Meanwhile, some Nigerians on the aegis of The Natives took a peaceful walk on the streets of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as they warned the opposition parties and their candidates against the thought of an interim government.

The Natives also vowed to resist any attempt for the interim government, warning that the spirit of June 12, which saw the annulment of the late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola's mandate, is upon the nation.

Addressing news media, including Legit.ng, before they marched to the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Supreme Leader of the Natives, Hon. Smart Edwards, appealed to the international community and Nigerians of all tribes and races to allow democracy to grow by declaring their support for the president-elect.

Source: Legit.ng