Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has reacted to the Supreme Court judgement on Thursday, dismissing his party’s double nomination case against Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, president and vice-president-elect, respectively.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court held on Friday that the PDP lacked the locus standi to institute the suit since it’s not a member of the APC.
The PDP had claimed that Shettima’s nomination as Tinubu’s running mate was in breach of the provisions of sections 29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The opposition party argued that Shettima’s nomination to contest the position of vice-president and Borno central senatorial seat — at the same time — contravened the law.
Reacting to the development in a tweet on Thursday afternoon, Atiku said, the “Supreme Court’s dismissal of the case of the @OfficialPDPNig is not a setback to my quest for justice. Our legal team are primed to robustly prove that the election of February 25 was fraudulent, did not comply with the constitutional requirements and the electoral guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission, @inecnigeria, and that the announced winner was not even qualified to contest the poll.
“The battle for democracy and the enthronement of a new order to spur growth and development in Nigeria is one to which I have committed my all and for which I am not ready to walk away at this point when our nation is at crossroads. We know that sooner than later, our esteemed Justices will make the pronouncement that will serve as a befitting requiem for mandate bandits.
“I urge my supporters to exercise patience and conduct themselves peaceably as we diligently conduct our litigation at the Presidential Election Tribunal Court.”