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From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
A human rights group, Campaign for Democracy (CD) in South East has condemned the judgment of Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) describing it as a miscarriage of justice and deliberate plot to kill democracy, constitutionalism and rule of law in Nigeria.
The Five-Man PEPT panel had on September 6, 2023 affirmed Bola Ahmed Tinubu as duly elected President in February 25 presidential election, dismissing Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) petitions.
In a statement by the leader of CD in South East Mr. Dede Uzor described the judgement as a miscarriage of justice and deliberate plot to kill democracy, constitutionalism and rule of law in Nigeria.
The group said the judgment has made Nigerians to lose hope in judiciary as the last hope of common man.
Uzor expressed shock that the Judges could not stick to the promise they made at beginning of the trial that technicalities would not be allowed in deciding the petitions, saying that the same Judges went ahead to use technicalities to dismiss the cases.
He stated that the same Tribunal which rejected coverage of its proceedings by live telecast and televisions stations made a detour and deployed television live coverage during the judgment in attempt to hoodwink Nigerians.
“By saying that the Independent National Independent (INEC), has the prerogative to use any method to announce election result was the easiest way to destroy free and fair electoral process in Nigeria by the Tribunal” the group stated.
CD noted that the judgement came even when the Electoral Act 2022 provided that INEC would use BVAS for the election and IREV for the transmission of results.
The group also said there were many questionable conclusions in the judgment ,wondering whether the judgment was actually written by the Tribunal members or forced on them.
CD however asked the country’ s apex Court to ensure that Nigeria’s Constitution and extant laws are not turned upside down upholding this
particular judgment.
The group called on the Supreme Court to preserve the sanctity of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by upturning judgment of the Presidential Petition Panel.
