Two weeks after the Supreme Court in Nigeria upheld the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 2023 elections, co-contestant and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi says the end is yet to come for his dream for a new Nigeria.
Obi, who faulted the Supreme Court judgement of last October 26, however affirmed that the court and its decision are the final destination and decision for judicial reliefs in the country and that its position was binding on all. Obi made the statement in an address at a press conference in Abuja, Monday.
Meanwhile, the Presidency in a speedy response the same day, berated Obi for purportedly biting the fingers that fed him.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, put out a statement saying, that Obi had once benefited from the Nigerian judicial process when he reclaimed his mandate as governor of Anambra State in 2007 but was now turning around to undermine the decision of the Supreme Court which this time favoured President Bola Tinubu.
Onanuga added, “We are at a loss as to how the copy-cat Obi and his faction of Labour Party convinced themselves they won an election in which they came a distant third.
“At the press conference where he tried, in vain, to gaslight Nigerians with false claims and innuendos, Mr. Obi contradicted himself. Here was a beneficiary of judicial pronouncements in the past now castigating the same court because its judgment did not go his way.”
Onanuga said Obi and his party should know that the Supreme Court or any other court does not give judgment based on public opinion and mob sentiments. “Judicial pronouncements are based on evidence, precedents and the rule of law,” he said.
“Having admitted that the Supreme Court ruling brought an end to litigation and any challenge to the bona-fide of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the validly elected leader of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Obi should have congratulated President Tinubu for his victory and pledge his support, in the spirit of statesmanship.
“We hope by then he would campaign on issues and not whip up religious and ethnic sentiments as he did in the last campaign.”
Obi, in his statement, did not directly say if he would make another bid for the presidency by running in the next election.
He expressed appreciation to Nigerian youth for their energy and dedication in their support for him.
He said, “I want to assure them that this is not the end of our journey but in fact the beginning. Nigerians heard you, the world has taken note and we will not forget easily. We shall endure, and persist until we reach our destination because a new Nigeria is our destination. A destination is not an event.”
Following the dismissal of their application at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), Obi, had along with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) approached the Supreme Court, seeking the nullification of Tinubu’s election.
The grounds of their appeal included double nomination, alleged certificate forgery, non-transmission of results electronically and 25% votes in the Federal Capital Territory.
