…Urges higher voting percentage in future elections
By Egena Sunday Ode
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has described as a huge relief to him and a majority of Nigerians the dismissal of the appeals by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and that of the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi by the Supreme Court.
Recall that following the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on September 6, affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 presidential poll, the duo of Atiku and Obi had separately approached the Supreme Court with an appeal on the tribunal verdict.
Buhari, however, reiterated that the affirmation of Tinubu’s victory by the apex court on Thursday was an reaffirmation of the will of the majority against the determined will of a hard fighting individuals.
He, therefore, urged the opposition figures to take the hand of fellowship extended to them by Tinubu, now that the battle is over, former presidency spokesman, Garba Shehu said in a statement on Thursday.
The former President also urged voting percentage in subsequent elections, noting that democracy has come to stay in the country, according to the statement.
The statement read: “Former President Muhammadu Buhari says the decision to dismiss the appeals by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party by the Supreme Court is a welcome relief to him and to a majority of the citizens.
“The former President repeated what he said on the earlier 6 September verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court which affirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory that the welcome decision is “a reaffirmation of the will of the majority of the people against the determined will of a hard-fighting minority.
“Now that we have arrived at the last bus stop, after a tortuous 8-months of expensive legal journey, the nation deserves a break. The opposition has fought a good fight. Having now exhausted their rights as constitutionally allowed, they should take the hand of fellowship extended by the Tinubu/Shettima APC government. Let them allow the government to run their administration and the people to have the benefit of the promises the All Progressives Congress, APC made.
“The former president expressed concern over low voting percentage all over the country, especially in urban areas and said this should change given the acceptance and vibrancy of democracy in Nigeria.
He wished the President and his team a successful term in office.”
