Atiku rejects PEPT judgment, heads to Supreme Court 

The former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar has rejected the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPT) on the 2023 presidential election.

Atiku, who said he respected yesterday’s court judgement, said he had directed his lawyer to activate his constitutionally guaranteed rights of appeal to the Supreme Court.

The People Democratic Party candidate (PDP) during a press conference today maintained that the disappointment in the verdict of the court can never destroy his confidence in the judiciary.

He said the decision of the court utterly falls far short of that expectation, noting that it was his 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 added.

Atiku maintained that the last presidential election was managed by the electoral umpire as the Independent National Electoral Commission leaves behind unenviable precedents, which the courts must redress.

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“As you already know, I approached the court following the declaration by INEC that the APC and its candidate are the winners of the February 25, Presidential Election. 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. Throughout 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.

“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.”

He said since he filed the petition, the ultimate goal was to ensure democracy is further strengthened through the principles and processes of fair hearing.

Atiku further urged his supporters to remain steadfast and take solace in an immortal lesson he learned from 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. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the Press, I thank you for your attention.”