Supreme Court Judgment: We Have Moved On – Labour Party

The Labour Party (LP) has said that it will proceed with its plans in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling upholding President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the election held on February 25. The LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, made the statement while charging the Supreme Court with destroying justice and morality in its rulings.

The five-member panel of courts, chaired by Justice John Okoro, dismissed the appeal of Peter Obi, the LP presidential candidate, who contested Tinubu’s election victory. Obi had demanded that Vice President Kashim Shettima be removed from office for filing two nominations. He asserted that Shettima was unfit to be Tinubu’s running mate in the most recent presidential contest.

However, the Supreme Court’s Justice Okoro declared that the double nomination issue could not be reopened. The judge recalled that while the case was before a subordinate court, the Supreme Court rendered a decision.

“This matter ought not to have come here. When the matter was pending at the trial court, this court delivered judgment on it. This appeal lacks merit and is hereby dismissed,” the court ruled.

Similarly, the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had his appeal against Tinubu’s election rejected by the Supreme Court.

Abure, who criticized the Supreme Court’s decision, called it disappointing but expressed optimism for the future.

A statement by Abure reads partly: “The leadership of the Labour Party watched as the sacred fabric of justice and good conscience was shredded today at the Supreme Court as it delivered its verdict in the case between our party, the presidential candidate and the APC presidential candidate.

“We are indeed very shocked and surprised that even the apex Court will toe the line of an earlier judgment in spite of all the flaws associated with the judgment delivered by the Presidential Election Appeal Tribunal.

“Having conclusively exercised our fundamental rights as gifted to us by the laws of the land, we have no other choice but to move on. We may be disappointed and dismayed by the outcome of the exercise, but we have chosen to trudge on and remain optimistic about what the future holds for the nation.

“We weep for our institutions that cannot rise to the occasion and courageously defend democracy and the voices of our people.”