Atiku Reveals Real Reasons For Rejecting Tribunal Judgment Affirming Tinubu’s Victory

By Babatunde Solanke

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday rejected the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal judgement that affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25, 2023, presidential election, just as he also added that the verdict was bereft of justice and failed to restore confidence.

 Atiku stated this while addressing a world press conference at the PDP headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Thursday, 7 September, 2023.

“Though the judgment of yesterday is respected, it is a judgment I refused to accept. I refused to accept the judgement because I believe it is bereft of substantial justice,” Atiku said, just as he also added that he was not new to legal battle and he would continue to explore the judiciary for respite.

“However, the disappointment in the verdict of the court can never destroy my confidence in the judiciary .Consequently, I have asked my lawyers to activate my constitutionally guaranteed rights of appeal to the higher court, which in this instance, is the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” the former vice –president  added

“The judgment has been delivered but we have not received justice. Luckily, the law has given us leverage to go on appeal to the Supreme Court. We have instructions from our clients to go to the Supreme Court. The struggle continues,” Atiku said.

Recall that the five-man panel of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani, and assisted by other members of the panel-Justices Stephen Adah, Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Moses Ugo, and Abba Mohammed dismissed .the petitions of Atiku of the PDP and Peter Obi of LP and their respective parties and affirmed the victory of Tinubu Of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

The PEPT which began sitting at 9.40am at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, ruled that the petition filed by Atiku and Obi and their parties had no merit and unanimously upheld Tinubu’s electoral victory in the February 25 presidential election.

The five-members  took turns to dismiss the petitions presented by Atiku and Obi against the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission on March 1, 2023.

The judgment was delivered by the Chairman of the tribunal.

The Legal Adviser to the LP, Kehinde Edun, vowed to challenge the judgment at the Supreme Court.

Also, Atiku’s Lead Counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, said he had received instructions from his client to file an appeal at the Supreme Court.