The judgments last week of the Supreme Court in the cases involving Abia, Delta and Akwa Ibom governorship polls have begun to raise questions about the discretion of the court in intricate electoral matters. Shola Oyeyipo writes
Penultimate week, the Supreme Court adjudicated in the governorship disputes in Rivers, Ebonyi and Ogun States as well as some senatorial seats, also in disputes. The outcome of the judgments, naturally divided the public – those for and against – and because they did not meet the expectations of some people, they got as many knocks for slanting the other way. The following week, the Supreme Court went further to rule in similar cases in Abia, Delta, Oyo and Akwa Ibom States – all PDP states – and in favour of the former ruling party.
Penultimate week, the Supreme Court adjudicated in the governorship disputes in Rivers, Ebonyi and Ogun States as well as some senatorial seats, also in disputes. The outcome of the judgments, naturally divided the public – those for and against – and because they did not meet the expectations of some people, they got as many knocks for slanting the other way. The following week, the Supreme Court went further to rule in similar cases in Abia, Delta, Oyo and Akwa Ibom States – all PDP states – and in favour of the former ruling party.
But this hasn’t gone down well with the new ruling party on the block, the All Progressives Congress, whose chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun recently protested the slant of the rulings and wondered why the oil-rich states were being favoured by the Supreme Courts.
Of course, there were others, who were either sympathetic to the APC or thought the development was indicative of change. Thus, it’s been a potpourri of mixed feelings on the Supreme Court. But is the Supreme Court being just or merely benevolent in its adjudication of some of the cases? Perhaps, a review of some of the new cases could provide sufficient answers.
Akwa Ibom Now Calm
The litigation that trailed the Akwa Ibom State governorship election attracted huge following among Nigerians, who are either aligned or non-aligned but are willing to see precisely how the judiciary intended to handle the case. This is even more so when on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, the Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Petition Tribunal nullified the elections that took place in 18 out of 31 local government areas in the state during the April 11 election, and yet it did not unseat the governor.
Of course, there were others, who were either sympathetic to the APC or thought the development was indicative of change. Thus, it’s been a potpourri of mixed feelings on the Supreme Court. But is the Supreme Court being just or merely benevolent in its adjudication of some of the cases? Perhaps, a review of some of the new cases could provide sufficient answers.
Akwa Ibom Now Calm
The litigation that trailed the Akwa Ibom State governorship election attracted huge following among Nigerians, who are either aligned or non-aligned but are willing to see precisely how the judiciary intended to handle the case. This is even more so when on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, the Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Petition Tribunal nullified the elections that took place in 18 out of 31 local government areas in the state during the April 11 election, and yet it did not unseat the governor.
In its ruling, the tribunal held that election that threw up Governor Udom Emmanuel as the governor was not properly conducted in the affected local government areas and ordered a re-run of the election by the electoral umpire in the 18 LGAs.
Tension was further heightened on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, when an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, December 19, affirmed the tribunal judgment on the Akwa Ibom State gubernatorial election, which ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in the local government areas.
But the hope of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate to attain the governorship position in the state was dashed when the Supreme Court last week affirmed the election of Governor Emmanuel. By its stance in Akwa-Ibom State, the apex court set aside the decisions of the tribunal and Court of Appeal, which nullified Mr. Emmanuel’s election and promised to give reasons for its verdict on February 15.
In the much awaited judgments delivered last Wednesday, which lasted less than 30 minutes, the court said the governor won the lawfully cast votes and was therefore duly elected as governor of the state.
Abia’s Sigh of Relief
The case of Abia State was relatively different, because the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration was already winning the support and trust of his people as a government genuinely committed to bringing a total turn around in the state through people-oriented projects, when the Appeal Court judgment that invalidated his election was delivered.
Despite his acceptance by his people, Ikpeazu’s hope of continuing in office automatically rested on the Supreme Court, being the final arbiter in governorship election tussle.
Ikpeazu and his party, the PDP had approached the Supreme Court, asking it to set aside the verdict of the Court of Appeal, which voided his election and declared Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner of the governorship election.
In a notice of appeal filed at the Supreme Court, Ikpeazu asked the apex court to take a judicial notice of the fact that neither Otti nor APGA called credible and cogent evidence in support of their petition challenging his victory.
Tension was further heightened on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, when an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, December 19, affirmed the tribunal judgment on the Akwa Ibom State gubernatorial election, which ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in the local government areas.
But the hope of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate to attain the governorship position in the state was dashed when the Supreme Court last week affirmed the election of Governor Emmanuel. By its stance in Akwa-Ibom State, the apex court set aside the decisions of the tribunal and Court of Appeal, which nullified Mr. Emmanuel’s election and promised to give reasons for its verdict on February 15.
In the much awaited judgments delivered last Wednesday, which lasted less than 30 minutes, the court said the governor won the lawfully cast votes and was therefore duly elected as governor of the state.
Abia’s Sigh of Relief
The case of Abia State was relatively different, because the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration was already winning the support and trust of his people as a government genuinely committed to bringing a total turn around in the state through people-oriented projects, when the Appeal Court judgment that invalidated his election was delivered.
Despite his acceptance by his people, Ikpeazu’s hope of continuing in office automatically rested on the Supreme Court, being the final arbiter in governorship election tussle.
Ikpeazu and his party, the PDP had approached the Supreme Court, asking it to set aside the verdict of the Court of Appeal, which voided his election and declared Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner of the governorship election.
In a notice of appeal filed at the Supreme Court, Ikpeazu asked the apex court to take a judicial notice of the fact that neither Otti nor APGA called credible and cogent evidence in support of their petition challenging his victory.
In similar breath, Ikpeazu wrote a letter to the INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, asking him to respect the constitution and not to do anything that will tamper with his office as the governor of Abia State, insisting that he was the duly elected governor of the state. He was sure to get justice at the highest court of the land, where he took his appeal.
In the letter written on his behalf by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Ikpeazu said he remained the governor until he had exhausted his right of appeal. And the governor, who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, got the breather when the Supreme Court upheld his election along with his Akwa Ibom State counterpart.
The court reversed the decision of the Court of Appeal, which nullified Ikpeazu's election and as in the case of Emmanuel, declared that Ikpeazu, having won the lawfully cast votes, was duly elected as governor of Abia State. Again, the Supreme Court is to give reasons for the verdicts on February 26.
A New Order in Delta
Different strokes for different folks. The tenor of the legal battles that attended the governorship election varied from states to state. The one in Delta State, however, took a rather interesting turn when at the very end of the Supreme Court ruling, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the state said the APC candidate, Mr. Emerhor Ortega and his counterpart from the Labour Party, Mr. Great Ogboru should tender an apology to the people of the state for taking the government through fruitless but rigorous legal battle that was eventually dismissed by the Supreme Court.
The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, had upheld the election of Governor Okowa of PDP, dismissing the petition brought before it by Ogboru, who approached the tribunal alleging that the election was conducted in substantial breach of the Electoral Act and the guidelines for the election, adding also that it was marred by corrupt practices and over-voting.
In the letter written on his behalf by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Ikpeazu said he remained the governor until he had exhausted his right of appeal. And the governor, who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, got the breather when the Supreme Court upheld his election along with his Akwa Ibom State counterpart.
The court reversed the decision of the Court of Appeal, which nullified Ikpeazu's election and as in the case of Emmanuel, declared that Ikpeazu, having won the lawfully cast votes, was duly elected as governor of Abia State. Again, the Supreme Court is to give reasons for the verdicts on February 26.
A New Order in Delta
Different strokes for different folks. The tenor of the legal battles that attended the governorship election varied from states to state. The one in Delta State, however, took a rather interesting turn when at the very end of the Supreme Court ruling, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the state said the APC candidate, Mr. Emerhor Ortega and his counterpart from the Labour Party, Mr. Great Ogboru should tender an apology to the people of the state for taking the government through fruitless but rigorous legal battle that was eventually dismissed by the Supreme Court.
The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, had upheld the election of Governor Okowa of PDP, dismissing the petition brought before it by Ogboru, who approached the tribunal alleging that the election was conducted in substantial breach of the Electoral Act and the guidelines for the election, adding also that it was marred by corrupt practices and over-voting.
In its judgment, the Justice Nasir Gunmi-led three-man panel noted that the petitioners did not adduce credible evidence to prove the allegations in line with Section 31 of the Evidence Act. Therefore, the tribunal dismissed the petition and awarded a cost of N150, 000.00 against the petitioners.
Not satisfied, the petitioner approached the Court of Appeal but ruling in Ogboru’s appeal on Thursday, December 24, 2015, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji said the appeal lacked merit and upheld the tribunal ruling, which had earlier dismissed his petition.
Emerhor too suffered similar defeat at the Court of Appeal. Though in his appeal, he established 11 grounds of dissatisfaction with the judgment of the tribunal among which were that the justices erred in law in resolving against him that the petition was incompetent on the grounds of non-compliance with the procedural rule in paragraph 4 (3)(b) of the 1st schedule to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
Not satisfied, the petitioner approached the Court of Appeal but ruling in Ogboru’s appeal on Thursday, December 24, 2015, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji said the appeal lacked merit and upheld the tribunal ruling, which had earlier dismissed his petition.
Emerhor too suffered similar defeat at the Court of Appeal. Though in his appeal, he established 11 grounds of dissatisfaction with the judgment of the tribunal among which were that the justices erred in law in resolving against him that the petition was incompetent on the grounds of non-compliance with the procedural rule in paragraph 4 (3)(b) of the 1st schedule to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
Emerhor and his party prayed the court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgment of the tribunal. They also demanded that court should enter judgment for the petitioners as claimed in the petition by nullifying the said election and directing the tribunal to order fresh election to the office of the governor of Delta State within the time prescribed by law. But the court also turned down his prayers.
The legal battle eventually reached its climax last week when in a unanimous judgment, the seven-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Walter Onnoghen dismissed the appeals filed by Ogboru and Emerhor against Governor Okowa.
It was a fierce legal battle, but the governor seemed assured of victory. It was apparently what he was referring to when he demanded an apology from his challenger in Asaba at a thanksgiving service held on Tuesday after the Supreme Court upheld his election. He considered the entire episode a mere distraction. “That the apology was for distracting residents of Delta State with legal battles they knew were not justifiable,” he said.
Ajimobi’s Abiding Victory
Like Governor Okowa of Delta State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State also had a smooth road to his eventual victory at the apex court. But in the latter’s case, he was unruffled and exuded huge confidence that he would defeat his main challenger, Mr. Rashidi Ladoja of the Accord Party (AP), irrespective of how long the legal battle took.
First, the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Oyo State had upheld the election of Governor Ajimobi in the April 11 polls. The Justice Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki-led tribunal, in its ruling, said the petitioner failed to link the evidences before the tribunal to specific portions of the petition. He declared that the petitioner lacked the ability to prove evidence before the tribunal. And that all the witnesses invited by the petitioner presented contradictory evidence before the tribunal.
The legal battle eventually reached its climax last week when in a unanimous judgment, the seven-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Walter Onnoghen dismissed the appeals filed by Ogboru and Emerhor against Governor Okowa.
It was a fierce legal battle, but the governor seemed assured of victory. It was apparently what he was referring to when he demanded an apology from his challenger in Asaba at a thanksgiving service held on Tuesday after the Supreme Court upheld his election. He considered the entire episode a mere distraction. “That the apology was for distracting residents of Delta State with legal battles they knew were not justifiable,” he said.
Ajimobi’s Abiding Victory
Like Governor Okowa of Delta State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State also had a smooth road to his eventual victory at the apex court. But in the latter’s case, he was unruffled and exuded huge confidence that he would defeat his main challenger, Mr. Rashidi Ladoja of the Accord Party (AP), irrespective of how long the legal battle took.
First, the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Oyo State had upheld the election of Governor Ajimobi in the April 11 polls. The Justice Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki-led tribunal, in its ruling, said the petitioner failed to link the evidences before the tribunal to specific portions of the petition. He declared that the petitioner lacked the ability to prove evidence before the tribunal. And that all the witnesses invited by the petitioner presented contradictory evidence before the tribunal.
The Court of Appeal in Ibadan followed suit. It dismissed the appeal filed by Senator Ladoja and his party challenging Ajimobi’s victory in the election and thereby upheld the judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. The five-man panel of judges, in their decisions, stated that Ladoja and AP appeal lacked merit and that the evidence of the principal witness in the appeal, Bimbo Adepoju, tagged as PW1, is inadmissible.
As the tribunal, the Court of Appeal also made references to inconsistency in the evidences, which the witness could not explain under cross-examination that lasted five days at the lower tribunal. The court even emphasised that the Adepoju discredited himself during cross-examination as he confessed to “wrong” at a point in time. Therefore, the Appeal Court judges in their ruling affirmed the victory of Senator Ajimobi and dismissed Ladoja’s case.
At this point, Ajimobi’s supporters were already jubilant. They were almost cocksure that they would get victory at the Supreme Court. After the Appeal Court verdict, APC in Oyo State had said: “It was high time Senator Ladoja accepted the reality of his defeat at the polls and subsequent failure in various courts.”
As the tribunal, the Court of Appeal also made references to inconsistency in the evidences, which the witness could not explain under cross-examination that lasted five days at the lower tribunal. The court even emphasised that the Adepoju discredited himself during cross-examination as he confessed to “wrong” at a point in time. Therefore, the Appeal Court judges in their ruling affirmed the victory of Senator Ajimobi and dismissed Ladoja’s case.
At this point, Ajimobi’s supporters were already jubilant. They were almost cocksure that they would get victory at the Supreme Court. After the Appeal Court verdict, APC in Oyo State had said: “It was high time Senator Ladoja accepted the reality of his defeat at the polls and subsequent failure in various courts.”
The APC Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, advised Senator Ladoja to forget about his dream of returning to the Agodi Government House with the outcome of the 11 April, 2015 polls.
“As days roll by and all efforts to unseat Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the governor of Oyo State by Ladoja prove abortive, it is imperative for the former governor to save the time of the government and good people of the state, who feel distracted by the needless political horse-trading after a globally acclaimed mandate had been delivered to the rightful winner,” Sadare had said.
Just as envisaged by Sadare, the apex court’s seven-man panel of justices led by Justice Onnoghene said Ladoja’s appeal lacked merit and promised to give details of the reasons for their decisions of the court on February 15, 2016. With the last judgment, the protracted political rivalry and power game between the governor and his major traducer has finally been laid to rest.
Geidam Savours Sweet Victory
Governor Ibrahim Gaidem of Yobe State also won at every stage of the legal battle that followed the last governorship election. An APC governor, Geidam was up against Mr. Maina Waziri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Yobe State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal chairman, Justice Mojisola Dada, in the judgment, dismissed Waziri’s case for inability to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there were electoral malpractices in the governorship poll in the state. She also ruled that in spite of the insurgency of Boko Haram in the state, elections held and that a winner emerged,= in the person of Governor Gaidem.
The road to the Supreme Court started after the tribunal ruling which was protested at the Court of Appeal and which was again dismissed for lack of merit.
The appellate court agreed with the tribunal and so, Waziri took his case to the apex court and after hearing the case, the seven-man panel of justices led by Justice Onnoghene delivered a unanimous judgment, dismissing the appeal for lack of merit and abuse of court process.
Finally, Saraki Faces CCT
In another judgment with mixed interpretations, the apex court last Friday ruled that Nigeria’s number-three citizen, Senate President Bukola Saraki must stand trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Earlier, the Court of Appeal had dismissed an appeal filed by Saraki, challenging his arraignment and trial by the CCT. He raised issues of jurisdiction and composition of the tribunal at the appeal. Eventually the Supreme Court said the Senate President must face the tribunal. But that did not go down well with Saraki, who had expressed disappointment at the decision.
His spokesperson, Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu also stated that as a law abiding citizen, he would go for the trial and would be vindicated.
The Mixed Debate
Aside open comments, which are either knocks or kudos on the Supreme Court, a fast evolving feeling among members of the APC is that the power tussle ahead of the 2019 general election, which some also attribute to the skirmishes that characterised the election of the National Assembly leadership might be part of what is making the party lose some states they believe they had better chances to win in courts.
“As days roll by and all efforts to unseat Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the governor of Oyo State by Ladoja prove abortive, it is imperative for the former governor to save the time of the government and good people of the state, who feel distracted by the needless political horse-trading after a globally acclaimed mandate had been delivered to the rightful winner,” Sadare had said.
Just as envisaged by Sadare, the apex court’s seven-man panel of justices led by Justice Onnoghene said Ladoja’s appeal lacked merit and promised to give details of the reasons for their decisions of the court on February 15, 2016. With the last judgment, the protracted political rivalry and power game between the governor and his major traducer has finally been laid to rest.
Geidam Savours Sweet Victory
Governor Ibrahim Gaidem of Yobe State also won at every stage of the legal battle that followed the last governorship election. An APC governor, Geidam was up against Mr. Maina Waziri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Yobe State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal chairman, Justice Mojisola Dada, in the judgment, dismissed Waziri’s case for inability to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there were electoral malpractices in the governorship poll in the state. She also ruled that in spite of the insurgency of Boko Haram in the state, elections held and that a winner emerged,= in the person of Governor Gaidem.
The road to the Supreme Court started after the tribunal ruling which was protested at the Court of Appeal and which was again dismissed for lack of merit.
The appellate court agreed with the tribunal and so, Waziri took his case to the apex court and after hearing the case, the seven-man panel of justices led by Justice Onnoghene delivered a unanimous judgment, dismissing the appeal for lack of merit and abuse of court process.
Finally, Saraki Faces CCT
In another judgment with mixed interpretations, the apex court last Friday ruled that Nigeria’s number-three citizen, Senate President Bukola Saraki must stand trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Earlier, the Court of Appeal had dismissed an appeal filed by Saraki, challenging his arraignment and trial by the CCT. He raised issues of jurisdiction and composition of the tribunal at the appeal. Eventually the Supreme Court said the Senate President must face the tribunal. But that did not go down well with Saraki, who had expressed disappointment at the decision.
His spokesperson, Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu also stated that as a law abiding citizen, he would go for the trial and would be vindicated.
The Mixed Debate
Aside open comments, which are either knocks or kudos on the Supreme Court, a fast evolving feeling among members of the APC is that the power tussle ahead of the 2019 general election, which some also attribute to the skirmishes that characterised the election of the National Assembly leadership might be part of what is making the party lose some states they believe they had better chances to win in courts.
Oyegun was quick to declare that the pronouncements of the apex court were detrimental to his party. He also acknowledged the fact that members of the party are suspicious about the development when he said on live programme on Channels Television that some people are already insinuating that the loses are tradeoffs.
“We have even been accused in Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers that we have sold out deliberately to appease some whatever interests and it has given us a tremendous amount of work to do,” Oyegun said at the interview.
According to him, the APC is concerned about its losses in the three oil rich states of the Niger Delta: “It calls for worry, as party leader, National Chairman; of cause I am worried.
“We have even been accused in Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers that we have sold out deliberately to appease some whatever interests and it has given us a tremendous amount of work to do,” Oyegun said at the interview.
According to him, the APC is concerned about its losses in the three oil rich states of the Niger Delta: “It calls for worry, as party leader, National Chairman; of cause I am worried.
“We have lost Taraba (in the Appeal Court). The Labour Party has lost Abia, we have lost Rivers, Akwa Ibom and we have already, of cause, lost Delta and that becomes very, very worrisome, especially under circumstances where expectations were different.
“We needed explanations, introspections and until the court now gives us the reasons for these decisions, every other thing we say is just speculation.
“It has dealt the party, so to speak, a body blow from which we have to rebuild quickly. We have to start the process of re-instilling confidence in our followers that there is nothing sinister going on.”
A reputed Professor of Law, who is also the chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, was more decisive in faulting the position of the Supreme Court on some of the cases, particularly those that had earlier been overturned by two lower courts.
“It is not something I can just pounce on. But all the judgments have been the same. It’s very interesting. There used to be an ancient monarch, who punished every crime by death. He was called Draco. That is why when somebody does anything extreme he is called Draconian.
“We needed explanations, introspections and until the court now gives us the reasons for these decisions, every other thing we say is just speculation.
“It has dealt the party, so to speak, a body blow from which we have to rebuild quickly. We have to start the process of re-instilling confidence in our followers that there is nothing sinister going on.”
A reputed Professor of Law, who is also the chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, was more decisive in faulting the position of the Supreme Court on some of the cases, particularly those that had earlier been overturned by two lower courts.
“It is not something I can just pounce on. But all the judgments have been the same. It’s very interesting. There used to be an ancient monarch, who punished every crime by death. He was called Draco. That is why when somebody does anything extreme he is called Draconian.
“If anybody steals one kobo, you kill him, if he kills someone you kill him, at the end, there is no distinction between offences. There should be distinctions. How can all the governorship cases go the same way? How is that possible? That is the question we are all awaiting when they will give the reasons for their judgments.
“I don’t know how to put it, but it’s very strange. We will wait for them to give their reasons and see how that magic occurred that every governorship election was valid and in line with the Electoral Act. It is very unprecedented. We will see when they give their full judgments,” he said and like Oyegun, he also awaits the explanations of the apex court.
Not oblivious of the fact that they had exhausted the limit of the legal battle the duo of Peterside (Rivers, APC) and Otti (Abia, APGA) have conceded victory, but neither of them seems to agree with the Supreme Court pronouncement.
In Peterside’s press release after the judgment, he said: “The learned Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria yesterday January 27, 2016 upheld the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike won the April 11, 2015Governorship election in Rivers State.
“I don’t know how to put it, but it’s very strange. We will wait for them to give their reasons and see how that magic occurred that every governorship election was valid and in line with the Electoral Act. It is very unprecedented. We will see when they give their full judgments,” he said and like Oyegun, he also awaits the explanations of the apex court.
Not oblivious of the fact that they had exhausted the limit of the legal battle the duo of Peterside (Rivers, APC) and Otti (Abia, APGA) have conceded victory, but neither of them seems to agree with the Supreme Court pronouncement.
In Peterside’s press release after the judgment, he said: “The learned Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria yesterday January 27, 2016 upheld the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike won the April 11, 2015Governorship election in Rivers State.
“The decision was a departure from the earlier findings of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal which had both agreed with us that the conduct of the April 11, 2015 elections failed to comply substantially with the requirements of the Electoral Act. This decision marks the culmination of a legal battle we instituted not merely because we want power for its sake; but against the virus of electoral violence that often thwarts the will of the people.
“Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has differed from our position. Still, we thank God for giving us the stoicism to accept the verdict. Indeed, our God deserves praise for reminding us that as His children we should respect and honour even our earthly authorities. It is a further reminder that His will is best in all things for His glory and the greater good of humanity.”
Though not necessarily accepting that the apex court judgment was not faulty, Otti too accepted the verdict as he told journalists in Lagos at the weekend.
“Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has differed from our position. Still, we thank God for giving us the stoicism to accept the verdict. Indeed, our God deserves praise for reminding us that as His children we should respect and honour even our earthly authorities. It is a further reminder that His will is best in all things for His glory and the greater good of humanity.”
Though not necessarily accepting that the apex court judgment was not faulty, Otti too accepted the verdict as he told journalists in Lagos at the weekend.
“For me, the governorship contest is not a matter of life and death. We have agreed, even though we do not agree with it. We didn’t think justice was done. We do not believe that the justices are infallible; they have given the judgment the way they understand it.”
But whatever anyone may be having against the judgment, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Uche Secondus sees nothing wrong with the Supreme Court judgments giving his party victory. In fact, to him, it was an indication that the PDP is still a popular party.
He said: “The judgment has strengthened the belief of the people in the judiciary as the bastion of democracy. Indeed, the PDP and all lovers of democracy in the country commend the maturity and patriotism being displayed by the Supreme Court in dispensing justice.”
“This is a development which has strengthened the confidence of the people in democracy and the rule of law. The rulings have not only put a seal on the popularity of our governors as duly reflected in the elections, but also the popularity of the PDP, irrespective of the temporary setback of the 2015 general election. This is the reason we are working hard to regain power at the centre in 2019.”
Other notable PDP members, including serving and out of office members had commended the victories of their governors.
A ‘Violent’ Victory
While most winners are magnanimous in victory, the Supervisor for Communications and Re-orientation in the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Eric Ekwere showed no sign of magnanimity to former party members, who had defected to the APC.
While others are extending olive branch to members of the opposition (Wike welcomed APC defectors), Ekwere told a national newspaper that those who defected from the ruling PDP to the APC, in the build-up to the Supreme Court judgment misfired. If he spoke the mind of Governor Emmanuel, such people may not be welcome back into the party.
But whatever anyone may be having against the judgment, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Uche Secondus sees nothing wrong with the Supreme Court judgments giving his party victory. In fact, to him, it was an indication that the PDP is still a popular party.
He said: “The judgment has strengthened the belief of the people in the judiciary as the bastion of democracy. Indeed, the PDP and all lovers of democracy in the country commend the maturity and patriotism being displayed by the Supreme Court in dispensing justice.”
“This is a development which has strengthened the confidence of the people in democracy and the rule of law. The rulings have not only put a seal on the popularity of our governors as duly reflected in the elections, but also the popularity of the PDP, irrespective of the temporary setback of the 2015 general election. This is the reason we are working hard to regain power at the centre in 2019.”
Other notable PDP members, including serving and out of office members had commended the victories of their governors.
A ‘Violent’ Victory
While most winners are magnanimous in victory, the Supervisor for Communications and Re-orientation in the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Eric Ekwere showed no sign of magnanimity to former party members, who had defected to the APC.
While others are extending olive branch to members of the opposition (Wike welcomed APC defectors), Ekwere told a national newspaper that those who defected from the ruling PDP to the APC, in the build-up to the Supreme Court judgment misfired. If he spoke the mind of Governor Emmanuel, such people may not be welcome back into the party.
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