Presidential Election Ruling: FG Urges Respect for S’Court as Final Arbiter

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The federal government has urged all political adversaries to respect the ruling of the Supreme Court as the final arbiter in the disputed 2023 presidential election by coming together as a united nation.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the appeal yesterday at a press briefing after the Supreme Court affirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

Idris warned it would not be in the nation’s interest if the opposition continued to heat up the polity by refusing to accept the apex court’s ruling.

He also said that Nigerians would continue to find it difficult to have a nation they desire if opposition elements continue to feed Nigerians with divisive messages.

“Our differences in terms of political leanings will always be there. But it is important that now that the Supreme Court, which is the final arbiter in this judgement has spoken, we should all respect that and come together, unite for Nigeria in the interest of our country. The time will come again when politics will reopen and the things you want to say provided they are constructive will be allowed. But for now, please let us unite in the interest of Nigeria.

“Now that the legal contest regarding the outcome of the presidential election is now behind us, it is time for all of us to come together and move forward, into a season of governing that is without distraction,” Idris said.

He added that President Tinubu has made it clear that he will be a President for all Nigerians, regardless of regional, ethnic, partisan or religious affiliations.

The minister said the administration will continue to strive to rebuild the trust of citizens in the ways and workings of government, and boost the credibility of public information and communication.

Idris disclosed that work had reached an advanced stage on the 2024 federal budget, while promising that last week the administration approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Sustainability Paper (FSP) that underpinned the budget.

He assured Nigerians that the first Appropriation Act of the Tinubu administration will be one that is wholly focused on the economic welfare and prosperity of all.

Similarly, he said the federal government was studying the ruling of the High Court in Enugu that declared as unconstitutional the proscription and designation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation by the federal government and the South-east governors.

The court had also asked the respondents to pay the sum of N8 billion to the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and to apologise to Kanu for the infringement of his fundamental rights.

But in response, Idris said the government will come up with an informed position very soon on that after analysing the judgement.