Peter Obi rejects Tribunal’s judgment, heads to Supreme Court

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 poll, Peter Obi, says he has instructed his lawyers to immediately challenge the ruling of the five-member Presidential Election Petitions Court.

“As petitioners in this case, we respect the views and rulings of the Court, but we disagree with the Court’s reasoning and conclusions in the judgment it delivered.

“It is my intention as a presidential candidate and the intention of the Labour Party to challenge this judgment by way of appeal immediately, as allowed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Our legal team has already received our firm instruction to file an appeal against the decision.

“I shall not relent in the quest for justice, not necessarily for myself but indeed for our teeming supporters all over the country and beyond whose mandate to us at the polls was regrettably truncated by INEC,” a visibly disappointed Obi told a news conference at his Onitsha, Anambra State country home on Thursday.

Persecondnews reported that the five-member tribunal led by Justice Simon Haruna Tsamani, had on Wednesday dismissed with a cost of about N13 million Obi and the Labour Party’s petition for lack of merit.

The LP Presidential Candidate noted that while the PEPC has rendered its judgment, it is not the final arbiter as the responsibility now falls on the Supreme Court.

Obi said the judgment is not coterminous with justice but urged Nigerians to remain focused, steadfast, and peaceful; and to abide by the rule of law.

“This matter has not reached its logical conclusion.

“The strength and value of our democracy reside in solid national institutions and our confidence in them noting that Electoral litigations will be almost unnecessary and nonexistent if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) discharges its statutory functions creditably, transparently and with discernible fairness,” the former Anambra governor said.

According to Obi, it is when that body fails, as it did recently, thus subverting the will of Nigerian voters, that the recourse to the judiciary becomes imperative, as is now the case.

He thanked Nigerians who have supported his political cause and campaign for a New Nigeria characterized by fairness, equity, justice, the rule of law, peace, prosperity, inclusiveness, sustainable growth, and development.

Thanking the legal team, his party, numerous supporters across the country and beyond, the Obidient Family, and all those who showed up daily during the court sittings, Obi urged them not to despair because “a New Nigeria is possible and achievable.”