Breaking: Atiku Rejects Election Tribunal Judgement, Heads to Supreme Court

*Declares judgement fundamentally flawed

*Says it failed to restore confidence

*PDP backs Atiku

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar has expressed dissatisfaction with the judgement of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT), stating that the judgement was fundamentally flawed.

Atiku addressed a world press conference Thursday to reject the judgement and announce his decision to go to the Supreme court.

Atiku said: “My decision to go to court is anchored in my belief that the court is the sanctuary of justice. The journey of my political career, as you know, holds so much to the courage and fearless decisions of our judiciary.

“Indeed, I am no stranger to legal battles, and I can say that I have a fair idea of how the court system works. All through my career as a politician, I have been a fighter, and I must say that I have found the judiciary as a worthy pillar to rest on in the pursuit of justice.

“The last presidential election in our country and the way it was managed by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, leaves behind unenviable precedents, which I believe the courts have a duty to redress.

“Our gains in ensuring transparent elections through the deployment of technology was heavily compromised by INEC in the way it managed the last presidential election, and I am afraid that the judgement of the court as rendered by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal yesterday, failed to restore confidence in our dreams of free and fair elections devoid of human manipulations”.

The former vice president further said,  “Like I did say at the beginning of this legal battle when I instructed my lawyers to file my petition challenging the outcome of the presidential election, my ultimate goal in this pursuit is to ensure that democracy is further strengthened through the principles and processes of fair hearing.

He said, “I take great pains to tell you that the decision of the court of first instance on this matter utterly falls far short of that expectation. I am therefore here to tell you that, though the judgment of the court yesterday is respected, it is a judgment that I refuse to accept.

“I refuse to accept the judgment because I believe that it is bereft of substantial justice. However, the disappointment in the verdict of the court can never destroy my confidence in the judiciary”.

The PDP Presidential Candidate said, “Consequently, I have asked my lawyers to activate my constitutionally guaranteed rights of appeal to the higher court, which, in the instance, is the Supreme Court. 

“It is my conviction that the electoral process in Nigeria should be devoid of untidy manipulations and that the outcome of every election should be a perfect reflection of the wishes of the electorate. I believe that such is the only way through which our democracy can have a manifest expression of its true meaning. Whether I prevail in this quest or not, the record of my effort in ensuring an order of credible elections in Nigeria shall remain for the future generations to evaluate.”

Atiku urged all his supporters to remain steadfast. “I urge them to take solace in an immortal lesson I learned from my leader and mentor, the late Shehu Yar’Adua, that losing a battle is less important than losing the war. 

“We might have lost a battle yesterday, but the war is well ahead of us. And I believe that with our hopes in God, we shall win the war of restoring confidence in our electoral system.”, he said.

The PDP Presidential candidate in calling for steadfastness among PDP members, described the party as the mother of all the political parties in Nigeria.

“Let’s keep hope alive. I am a foundation member of this party. I am still standing strong. PDP  gave birth to all other political parties. PDP is the mother. You have no reason to lose hope. Life is full of ups and down.

“This is the oldest  party since creation of Nigeria. We have a record to promote and foster the PDP . Therefore, I urge all members to remain loyal., Atiku urged PDP members.

In his speech, the acting national chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, said: “The judgement of the PEPT which came out yesterday left lovers of democracy in and outside the country, more confused with a lot of questions whether the Nigerian Constitution, electoral act and other laws guiding the conduct of credible election in our country are still functional. 

“Close observation from the faces of Nigeria across the country shows hopelessness and despair since the pronouncement of the judgment. 

“Lawyers, politicians and other stakeholders from all divides were left confused as both law and facts were visibly thrown overboard. 

“As a law abiding political party, we receive the judgment with shock along with other Nigerians. Members should however not lose focus or be distracted.”, Damagum stated.

He also announced the reactivation of the national campaign committee of the party in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

Several  chieftains of the party like the former national chairman,  Prince Uche Secondus, Senator Abdul Ningi, former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Miana Waziri, former senate president Adolphus Wabara and all members of the National Working Committee (NWC) attended the press conference. .