Presidential poll appeal: We’re confident of victory at supreme court, says PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is confident that the supreme court will declare Atiku Abubakar, its candidate, the winner of the 2023 presidential poll.

The supreme court had fixed Monday to hear Atiku’s appeal challenging President Bola Tinubu’s victory

In a statement issued on Sunday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, claimed that the election was “manipulated” against the party.

He said Nigerians are optimistic that the apex court will dispense justice considering the evidence of alleged electoral fraud presented before it.

“As the Supreme Court commences hearing on the February 25, 2023 Presidential Election Appeal, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is confident that guided by the provisions of the law, the body of evidence, circumstances and facts presented before it, the Apex Court will deliver justice in the matter,” the statement reads.

“Issues of the February 2023 Presidential election, the barefaced violation of rules and the laws, the brazen manipulations and falsifications in the perversion of our electoral process have put our democracy in a precarious situation. 

“Nigerians and indeed the whole world look forward to the Supreme Court for justice in the hope that the Court will apply the laws, including the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC Guidelines and Regulations in delivering substantial justice in the matter.”

The opposition party said Nigerians and lovers of democracy across the world expect that the supreme court will “use this case to firmly validate the maxim that the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man”.

“Nigerians are therefore optimistic in hoping that the Supreme Court will dispense substantial Justice according to law and fact in the Appeal,” he said.

Last month, the five-man presidential election petitions tribunal struck out the various petitions filed by the PDP and its candidate, Atiku, against Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 election.

In a unanimous decision, the tribunal led by Haruna Tsammani held that Atiku was unable to prove claims of vote rigging and irregularities in the election.

However, the PDP and Atiku rejected the verdict of the tribunal and filed an appeal at the supreme court.