President Muhammadu Buhari says the ruling of the presidential election petition tribunal in his favour, is a victory for Nigerians who trooped out to overwhelmingly elect him for a second term in office.
YaahooJournalist had reported earlier on Wednesday, that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) dismissed the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Justice Mohammed Garba, who led a five-man panel of justices, said while delivering judgment: “This petition is accordingly, and hereby dismissed in its entirety.
“In the final result, and I have come to the conclusion which is inevitable and unavoidable, that the petitioners have not proved any of the grounds of the petition in paragraph 15 of the petition.
“This petition is accordingly and hereby dismissed in its entirety.”
Speaking shortly through his spokesman, Femi Adesina, after the tribunal upheld his victory, President Buhari said he was not worried about the petition filed to challenge the outcome of the election because he knew that Nigerians elected him.
“Good conscience fears no evil report. I was unperturbed all along, because I knew Nigerians freely gave us the mandate. We are now vindicated,” Adesina quoted Buhari to have said.
Adesina said President Buhari dedicated the victory to God, and to Nigerians, while also commending the judiciary for “dispensing justice without fear or favour.”
The presidential spokesman said President Buhari has extended a hand of fellowship to those who had felt aggrieved at the outcome of the election, and went to court, noting that it was within their democratic rights.
“It is time for the country to move forward as one cohesive body, putting behind us all bickering and potential distractions over an election in which Nigerians spoke clearly and resoundingly,” Buhari was quoted to have said.
The statement reads as thus: “Today’s ruling is a well-deserved victory for Nigerians who trooped out overwhelmingly to elect us for a second term in office. I was unperturbed all along because I knew Nigerians freely gave us the mandate. We are now vindicated!
“I dedicate this victory to the Almighty God, and to all Nigerians. And I commend the judiciary for dispensing justice without fear or favour.
“With this ruling, it is now time for the country to move forward as one cohesive body, putting behind us all bickering and potential distractions over an election in which Nigerians spoke clearly and resoundingly.
“I am hereby extending a hand of fellowship to everyone who felt aggrieved at the outcome of the election and went to court. It was well within your democratic rights to go to Court. Now that the Court has spoken, let us join hands to move Nigeria to the Next Level,” the statement added.
