Tribunal: Peter Obi, Atiku’s Lawyers Didn’t Do Good Job, Should Apologise – PANDEF

PAN Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has faulted the legal representatives of the candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, over their failure to do justice to the matter at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).

Recall that PEPT on Wednesday affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election and dismissed the petitions of Atiku and Peter Obi.

Naija News reports tha the National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson, in a statement, opined that lapses in the presentations by the counsel for LP and PDP were regrettable as the Court of Appeal made an exclusive explanation and detailed ruling on the matter.

He said the judges were clear with facts and did a good job, unlike Peter Obi and Atiku’s lawyers, who did not do due diligence.

Robinson added that nobody should criticise the judiciary, and those dissatisfied with the verdict should appeal.

He said: “We followed the extensive judgment that lasted for about 11 hours, and it was elaborate. The justices of the Court of Appeal made exclusive explanations and detailed rulings on the matter.

“For an ordinary man who is not a lawyer, what we saw and witnessed yesterday seems to be sound and the statements that the judges made were explicit that even the ordinary man will understand that the petitioners did not do a good job.

“Of course, there is room for appeal by those who are dissatisfied with the judgement of the tribunal. With what we witnessed yesterday, without being preemptive, it was an exclusive judgment and the facts of the matter were very clear. I think the judges did a good job.

“With due respect to the learned lawyers, who handled those petitions, perhaps they need to apologise to their masters and principals who gave them those jobs. From what we witnessed yesterday, they did not do a good job.

“People will express emotions, but the court does not look at the emotion, but evidence brought before it. For us, we will appeal to those who are dissatisfied with the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to explore the avenue of appeal.

“In the interest of Nigeria, National Unity and Peace and overall interest of the development of this country and our democracy, nobody should take laws into their hands.

“Nobody should even castigate or go into name-calling of the judiciary. They have done their job very transparently as it should be done. For us in PANDEF, we will call all those who are dissatisfied to explore the avenue of appeal and avoid making statements that will heat up the polity.”