2023 Election Disputes: Obi, Atiku Get External Backing to Approach Supreme Court

• The presidential election petitions tribunal (PEPT) in a unanimous decision, dismissed the petitions of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that of Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP)
• Atiku already rejected the outcome of the tribunal and instructed his lawyers to proceed with the appeal at the Supreme Court; the same for the Labour Party and Obi
• Speaking in an interview with Legit.ng, a chieftain of the Action Alliance (AA), Tope Balogun, stated that parties who are dissatisfied are at liberty to proceed to the Supreme Court to test the decisions of the Tribunal

FCT, Abuja - Tope Balogun, the governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the 2023 election in Lagos state has backed the opposition parties to challenge the verdict of the presidential election petitions tribunal (PEPT) at the supreme court.

Read also

Tribunal judgment: "Judiciary must repair its reputation", analyst gives reason

Balogun said if the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are not satisfied with the tribunal's judgement which dismissed Messrs Obi and Atiku's cases against President Bola Tinubu, "they should continue with the process by going to the supreme court".

"Opposition free to exercise political rights": Balogun

It would be recalled that the opposition parties failed to displace President Tinubu via the tribunal. The court ruled that the opposition candidates' cases were devoid of merit.

Balogun told Legit.ng:

"Though my party Action Alliance withdrew its initial petition sent to the tribunal after an out-of-court settlement was reached with the National leadership of the Party, but as a Patriot, showing interest in the processes of our institutions is a responsibility that must be upheld. I believe Nigeria can work and we must all be ready to make it work with less bias but much objectivism.

Read also

Tribunal Judgment: Peter Obi finally breaks silence over loss to Tinubu

"The Tribunal judgement is from one of those institutions where every man both common and uncommon look up to for justice premised on identified processes.

"Those that weren't declared winner had exercised their political rights to challenge the INEC declarations as well as those deserving to be challenged and after presenting their cases, the LP mostly were seen to have made statements that were too vague to get Legal convictions in order to sway the judgement in their favour.

"If the petitioners aren't convinced or satisfied with the present judgement which definitely is unfavourable, they should continue with the process by going to the supreme court.

"We are closely monitoring all that is ongoing and looking at the situation on its merits without any form of prejudice."

Ezekwesili expresses admiration for Obidients

In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, expressed admiration for supporters of Obi and Atiku.

Ezekwesili’s commendation comes against the backdrop of the judgement by the PEPT which dismissed the cases brought to it by Messrs Obi and Atiku.

Source: Legit.ng