The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has outrightly rejected the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) which on Wednesday affirmed the election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of Nigeria in the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

This is even as, in Labour Party, mixed reactions trailed the judgment from the two factions of the party. While Julius Abure faction of the party flayed the verdict, the Lamidi Bashiru Apapa-led faction, said it accepted the judgment of the Presidential Election Tribunal.

However, the PDP in a statement issued after the court ruling by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary, stated: “Few moments ago, the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) delivered Judgment in the Petition filed by our Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Candidate, Atiku Abubakar against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the declaration of the APC and Senator Tinubu as Winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election by INEC.

“As a party, we have had an initial review of the Judgment as delivered by the PEPC and we unequivocally reject the said Judgement in its entirety.

“The Judgement is against reason, against the facts and evidence presented in Court; against the relevant Electoral Laws, Guidelines and Regulations as well as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Indeed, the Judgment is generous in technicalities and very short in delivering substantial justice in the matter.

“The PDP, as a law-abiding political party, will with our lawyers, have a comprehensive review of the Judgment and decide on the next line of action within the ambit of the law.

“The PDP calls on Nigerians to remain at alert, calm and united as our Party continues to lead the charge to defend democracy and ensure that the will of the people as expressed in the February 25, 2023 Presidential election is respected and restored.”

Abure, Apapa-led Labour Party Factions Disagree

Meanwhile, the dismissal of the Petition by the five-man panel of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) filed by the Labour Party Presidential Candidate challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election has triggered a mixed reactions from the two factions of the Labour Party.

Julius Abure faction of the party said the judgment could only call for weeping for Nigerian democracy.

This was contained in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Obiora Ifoh in which he said the layers of the party are still studying the judgment for further comment.

It reads: “The Labour Party watched with dismay and trepidation the dismissal of petitions by the five-man panel of the Presidential Election Petition Court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani today and we reject the outcome of the judgment in its entirety because justice was not served and it did not reflect the law and the desire of the people.

“Nigerians were witnesses to the electoral robbery that took place on February 25, 2023, which was globally condemned but the Tribunal in its wisdom refused to accept the obvious.

“What is at stake is democracy and we will not relent until the people will prevail.

“Details of the party’s position will be presented after consultation with our lawyers after the Certified True Copy of the judgement is made available to us.

“We urge all lovers of democracy to remain focused and hopeful because a new Nigeria is possible,” Pastor Obiorah stated.

However, the Lamidi Bashiru Apapa-led faction, said it submitted in whole to the judgment of the PEPT.

It described the the legal action of the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Gregory Obi as “a wild goose chase” and claimed it was intended to justify the expenditure of $15bn.

Spokesman of the group, Dr Abayomi Arabambi said this in a statement while reacting to the judgment by the PEPT.

In his statement, he said. “Our previous position has now been confirmed that Peter Obi was just all out to defraud our party of donations made towards 2023 General Election which was in the sum of $15m dollars and N12 billion Naira.

“Our party is also in tandem with the tribunal that the Claim By The Labour Party Concerning the Blurred 18,088 results sheets Is totally unfounded as the party ought to have agents at every polling unit who will have a copy of the result sheet but here Peter Obi fraudulently converted all monies due to our agent across the country and they all refuse to represent the party at all pooling units.

“On Peter Obi request that 25% FCT vote is a requirement before a president can be declared, we noted that this is a shame on the part of Peter Obi legal teams to be told in clear terms that Abuja is equal to every other states in Nigeria since according to the tribunal, residents of Abuja don’t have special privileges, every Nigerian is equal,” Arabambi said in the statement.

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