By Gideon Njoku
The verdict by the Supreme Court, Wednesday, on the appeal filed by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and its Presidential Candidate, Abubakar Atiku, challenging the earlier verdict of the Appeal Court, was not unexpected.
In a unanimous judgement, the apex court dismissed the suit as lacking in merit. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Muhammad Tanko, leading six other Justices of the Supreme Court presided.
It will be surprising if the PDP thought something would come out from the exercise.
A chieftain of the party, last week, told this magazine, “We are in court for the records so that such brazen corruption of the electoral processes does not happen in 2023. We are not expecting any victory. Nigeria is too fragile for a President, already sworn-in, to be removed, or subjected to a re-run.”
Another agreed, but said he was expecting a split decision in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.
That did not happen. The verdict was unanimous.
In fact, when the Presidency announced that the President would be away to London, on a- two week private visit, those who spoke to us noted: “He is sure- footed, that’s why he travelled. He already knows his office is not threatened”
In a three-sentence ruling, CJN Tanko dismissed the PDP/Atiku appeal, within an hour of taking arguments from Counsels. He said they had, in the past two weeks, been going through the files of appeal, and their counter. The reasons for the ruling would be given at a later date, Taboo disclosed.
The court had, earlier in the day, also, dismissed a request by the PDP/Atiku that seven interlocutory appeals they filed be heard after the main case would have been argued.
Reacting to the judgment, the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, waxed spiritual. In a release saluting Nigerians for supporting PDP and democracy, he emphasized that the final judgement comes from God.
He applauded the commitment of Nigerians to democracy and its tenets, despite inhibiting factors, saying it was worthy of emulation and highly commendable.
Secondus: “We thank you for your support for PDP, for your commitment to democracy. Nigerians know that you voted PDP, even APC knows that you rejected them on February 23, 2019, international community knows you voted for PDP, if Supreme Court of seven justices says otherwise, leave it to God”
He also asked the people to remain resolute in their prayers to God since such an untidy state can only be bailed out by God.
Justices Bode Rhodes-Vivour, Amory Sanusi, Uwani Abaji, When Hi Eko, John Inyang Okoro, and, Olukayode Ariwoola are the other Supreme Court Justices who decided the case.
President Muhammadu Buhari had defeated Atiku, a former Vice President, in the February 23 Presidential Election.
Both Atiku and his PDP challenge that victory, crying foul.
The Supreme Court verdict has put a final seal on Buhari’s victory.
