The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed shock at the decision of the Supreme Court affirming the victory of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
A seven-man panel of the apex court led by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed had today dismissed the five-point grounds of appeal filed by the PDP candidate in the November 16, 2019 guber election, Musa Wada.
Wada had claimed that the election was riddled with serious electoral infractions; rigging and over-voting, and that Bello did not secure the highest vote.
The court also dismissed the seven-point grounds of appeal filed by Natasha Akpoti, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which includes an allegation of age falsification against the Kogi State Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja.
The Herald can report that other members of the panel include Justices Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Inyang Okoro, Amina Augie, and Uwani Abba-Aji.
But in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said it disagreed with the apex court’s decision though it accepted the judgement.
The statement read, “The party says though it accepts the verdict of the Supreme Court, as the apex court in the land, the judgment fell short of the expectation of the majority of the people of Kogi state and Nigerians in general, who collectively looked up to the court to remedy the manifest injustices, manipulations, violence and killings that marred the election.
“Indeed, the judgment had not inspired hope in our national quest to ensure that our elections are violent-free as well as deter unpatriotic individuals who resort to violence and killing to gain access to power, as heavily witnessed in the Kogi election.
“However, as a law-abiding party, we call on the people of Kogi state and Nigerians at large, to remain calm, yet undeterred in their quest for the entrenchment of credible electoral process in our country.
“Our party deeply mourns all those who were gruesomely murdered as well as commiserates with all victims of the violence that was unleashed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 2019 Kogi governorship election.
“The PDP also commends the resilience of the people of Kogi state in pursuing the recovery of their mandate to the very end. Such commitment is a demonstration of the undying determination of the people to defend their choice of leadership to the end.
“Our party will continue to stand with the people of Kogi state as they weather the insensitive and anti-people government in Kogi state.
“We charge the people not to allow the judgment make them lose hope in our nation but rather remain united in their commitment, as good citizens, toward entrenching democratic values in our country despite the odds.”
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