LP Rejects Tribunal Judgment, Sets To Consult With Lawyers

By Babatunde Solanke

Few hours after Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal presided over the Justice Haruna Tsammani dismissed the petitions of Labour Party(LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi against the election of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC), the leadership of the LP on Wednesday rejected the judgment of court.  

Some of the claims made by the petitioners included the nullification of the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the election for failing to score 25 per cent in the FCT; Tinubu’s incompetence to contest the election following his forfeiture in the United States; and failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission to transmit results to INEC election results viewer among others.

Reacting on the verdict of the court in a statement issued in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, vowed that the party will not accept the outcome of the judgment.

While calling on all their supporters natiowide to remain calm, Ifoh explained  that they would consult with their lawyers before the party could make its position known on the next step to take.

 “The Labour Party watched with dismay and trepidation the dismissal of petitions by the five-man panel of the Presidential Election Petition Court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani today and we reject the outcome of the judgment in its entirety because justice was not served and it did not reflect the law and the desire of the people.

“Nigerians were witnesses to the electoral robbery that took place on February 25, 2023, which was globally condemned but the Tribunal in its wisdom refused to accept the obvious. What is at stake is democracy and we will not relent until the people will prevail.

“We salute the doggedness of our team of lawyers who fearlessly exposed the wrath in our system. We can only weep for democracy in Nigeria but we refuse to give up on Nigeria. Details of the party’s position will be presented after consultation with our lawyers after the Certified True Copy of the judgement is made available to us. We urge all lovers of democracy to remain focused and hopeful because a new Nigeria is possible,” he said.