, said this in Abuja on Wednesday.){kind=link}
Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said if the courts nullify the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election, Nigerians will celebrate on the streets in jubilation.
Pedro Obaseki, Director of Strategy and Research of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), said this in Abuja on Wednesday.
Obaseki, who addressed the press ahead of the judgement by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), also expressed confidence that the PDP believed in the ability of the judiciary to deliver fair judgement that will be acceptable to parties concerned.
He also said because of the mounting evidence in their possession, the Tribunal judges will summon the courage to address issues raised, adding that the image of the country is at stake a development he said the judges will not take lightly.
Obaseki who is also a lawyer spoke about the petition by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) seeking the nullification of Tinubu’s victory, adding that the “issue of eligibility is key”.
He said: “There is still a watershed moment and that moment might just be provided by the Allied Peoples Movement petition in this election. That does not in any way discontinuance the other mounting evidences. We were here when the election took place, we were here when the election were declared and we are still waiting for those that want to celebrate, they have not celebrated.
“You may be shocked that immediately there is a judgment that does not validate the supposed election of President Tinubu people will run into the street to celebrate, that is the truth.”
Speaking on why the APM case is different from that of the PDP, he said, “The first thing is eligibility, if ten people follow me to run a race I can begin to question who won, only if those ten people were qualified, that is what has been thrown up by the APM petition.”
The APM which is challenging INEC’s declaration of Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential election, based its arguments on the grounds that Shettima, had double nomination as a Senatorial and Vice Presidential candidate before the February 25 polls.
The party prayed the tribunal to nullify Tinubu’s election on the grounds that the process through which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner was “flawed”.
Obaseki said “If you look at what APM has done, they started by why and when they can question an election and stated three clear provisions, when elections can be questioned, such as section 134 of the electoral act of 2022 as amended.
“As at the day of the nomination process Mr Shettima had two nominations, that is a statement of fact. That is what this petition by the APM has gone ahead to prove beyond reasonable doubt, the reasonable doubt will only occur if the petition is based on hear say.”