‘Far from justice’ — Katsina PDP rejects presidential election tribunal verdict

The Katsina chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the presidential election tribunal judgment, which affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu, was far from justice.

Speaking with journalists on Monday, Umar Tsauri, former chairman of Atiku/Lado campaign team, described the verdict as an “unfortunate judgment”.

On September 6, the tribunal dismissed the petitions filed by three political parties against Tinubu’s electoral victory.

“We actually believe that judgments had been passed, but without justice, because it had been denied,” Tsauri said.

“Recently, the tribunals have concluded their assignments and passed very unfortunate judgments that did not reflect the justice Nigerians expected.

“We stand to say the judgment passed by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has been far from justice.

“In fact we would say that what the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) did during the elections was exactly what the PEPC did to Nigeria, Nigerians and the democratic process.”

He said the PDP believed Mahmud Yakubu, INEC chairman, when he promised to ensure effective use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System ( BVAS) during the election.

“We in the opposition believed him and became so relaxed with full confidence and optimism that a man of integrity, in fact a professor for that matter, who built integrity and respect to protect,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the reverse was the case because all he told Nigerians turned out to be a deceit. He deceived Nigerians by doing the opposite of his utterances.

“That is exactly what our learned justices of the court of appeal did while delivering the judgment without justice.”

The former campaign chairman said Haruna Tsammani, who read the lead judgment, had promised during its inauguration that the tribunal would not be established on technicalities but facts.

He said members of the political parties had only wasted their time providing documents and witnesses to prove their case, adding that every sensible Nigerian knows the election was marred by irregularities.

“Unfortunately, the learned justices successfully wasted 12 and half hours reading judicial English without judicial facts and justice,” he said.

“They ended up passing judgment not even on technicalities but on collective personal interest.

“During the elections, there were uncountable numbers of electoral malpractices, intimidation, and in some polling units, elections could not be held due to insecurity.

“Two of our members were given red cards by the tribunal, based on technicality, while two of our Senators who approached the tribunal with convincing proof and evidence were shown the way out because of pure judicial injustice.

“We call on all the PDP supporters in Nigeria and Katsina to disregard the judgments delivered by the PEPC and that of the election tribunal in Katsina.

“We the stakeholders, as law abiding citizens, have been compelled to agree with the judgment, but certainly not to accept it.

“We therefore come out to say we completely reject the injustice meted in the name of tribunal judgment.”