| President Muhammadu Buhari |
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has said that the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) upholding the election of President Muhammadu Buhari has shown that the members of the tribunal are men of integrity who cannot be easily intimidated.
The BMO commended members of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) for not being deterred by threats and intimidation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its agents to taint the judgement.
Chairman of BMO, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke said in a statement that the judgement is proof that the Justices are men of honour that cannot be intimidated by social media bullies bent on arm-twisting them to ignore the evidence tabled before the tribunal.
The group said it expected nothing less than the outright dismissal of the petition like the panel members did, saying “It was glaring to everyone, aside from PDP elements, that the petition challenging the overwhelming electoral victory of President Muhammadu Buhari was not only frivolous, but also useless as Festus Keyamo famously said soon after the case was filed.
“However, the Tribunal has now further shown how ridiculous the electoral challenge was and made it clear that the President was duly qualified to contest in the February 23, 2019 election in the first place, on the basis of educational qualification and professional attainment.
“To quote the panel directly, it said President Buhari ‘is not only qualified but also eminently qualified’ to stand for election. This is a direct message to naysayers.
“And to make matters worse for the petitioners, the Tribunal questioned the sense in querying the President’s assertion that his certificates were with the Army even when the Army authorities alluded to it when the matter was brought up in 2015 and even went further to quote the President’s grades in the subjects he sat for.
“It is also worthy of note that the Justices were emphatic in brushing aside claims by the petitioners that results were transmitted through electronic means to a server at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“We acknowledge that it is within the right of the opposition to go to the Supreme Court but we hope that the former Vice President would see the handwriting on the wall and accept that he lost the election fair and square.”
While congratulating the President for his victory at the tribunal, National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Chief Chekwas Okorie said by the judgement, Justice has been served just as this victory is essentially victory for democracy.
He said “It is with joy that we recall that on 17th August, 2018, when the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great Party resolved unequivocally to support President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for 2019 Presidential election, we unambiguously stated in our address to the Press immediately after our NEC meeting of the same date that we would contribute our quota to ensure that the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 23rd
February 2019 Presidential Election would be so resounding in a manner that would make any petition against the outcome of the election to be a “mere and unnecessary national distraction”.
Okorie asked the President to accept his victory with the magnanimity of a forgiving father, saying “he should remain focused in carrying out the onerous responsibilities of his Office. The United Progressive Party and its leadership are committed to remain constructively engaged with the President until the successful completion of his second and final tenure as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”