From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
President of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima has thrown his weight behind the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) judgment that affirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the duly elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Yerima while speaking to the media in Kaduna yesterday said that the victory of President Bola Tinubu at the election tribunal has vindicated the earlier position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, INEC has described the 2023 round of elections as an improvement in free, fair, and transparent elections in Nigeria.
To Shettima, the court’s ruling has once again put “detractors” and “senseless regional agitators” to shame and has also proven the integrity and impartiality of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu.
“This well-considered verdict has further strengthened the belief that INEC under Yakubu’s leadership is a true embodiment of democracy and justice.
“Yakubu’s commitment to conducting free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria is evident in the recent elections, where many observers except a few sponsored ones, commended the conduct of INEC and its officials. His leadership and professionalism have earned him the respect of both local and international communities.
“We must commend INEC under the leadership of Prof. Mahmud Yakubu for their impeccable conduct during the elections. The transparency and fairness of the electoral process have brought credibility to our democracy”.
“Nigerians can once again be confident in the credibility of the electoral process, knowing that the institution responsible for conducting elections is led by a true statesman.
“This outcome is also a triumph for democracy and the rule of law, as it proves that the Nigerian justice system is capable of upholding the integrity of elections,” Shettima said.
AYCF President, however, advocated for stakeholders to continue to work towards improving the electoral process so that Nigerians can continue to have faith in their democracy.
“It is crucial that all political actors respect the decision of the tribunal and work towards building a stronger democracy in Nigeria.
“INEC should also use this opportunity to review its procedures and address any shortcomings so that future elections can even be more transparent and credible”, he added
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Yusuf Ishaku Goje of Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanisms (KADLGAM) noted that the judgment has both its positive and negative sides.
According to him, it is commendable, and a demonstration of our maturing democracy, that election disputes are resolved via our courts, not on the streets.
Goje further said this is also in the light of recent happenings in West and Central Africa, where guns rather than courts are being used to settle political disagreements.
“However, the judgment was contentious and was greeted with minimal public approval. It could be recalled that even though the current President won with 8.7 million votes, he lost the referendum as his challengers got a combined 13.1 million votes.
“Though President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has won at the PEPT, he has a lot to do to win public approval for his government without prejudice to the case heading to the Supreme Court, it is evident by public reactions to the judgment that a lot of Nigerians are still sceptical of accepting Bola Tinubu, as the legitimately elected President of Nigeria.
“With attention now shifting to the Supreme Court, the expectation is that all parties will continue to hold faith in the nation, Nigeria, as there must first be a nation before having a President.
“The faith in our democracy now hangs on the neck of the Supreme Court judges”, Goje stressed
