Gen Yakubu Gowon (rtd)
Accept 2023 presidential elections petitions tribunal’s verdict, Gowon urges Nigerians
Ex-Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has appealed to Nigerians to accept the outcome of the presidential elections tribunal sitting in Abuja hearing the appeals filled by opposition political parties challenging the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as president-elect.
Speaking as gust speaking during a symposium organised in honour of one-time Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Chike Idigbe, last Thursday, Gen Gowon pleaded to Nigerians to allow the judiciary to do its work at the tribunal, without interference.
The Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) will commence sitting next week at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja to hear he petitions filed by opposition parties including the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party with its candidate, Peter Obi, who both emerged second and third, respectively at the elections as announced by INEC.
According to Gowon, the country’s judiciary ‘plays a pivotal role in the unity of the country.’
Gowon’s calls follows mounting pressure on the Federal Government to allow open airing of the proceedings at the hearings, which the advocates say will ensure transparency by the judiciary.
Also in attendance at the seminar were the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Alfa Belgore, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, and some Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had on March 1 declared APC’s Tinubu as winner and the President-elect on the grounds that his party scored the majority of votes cast in the polls.
However, since the declaration four political parties have stormed the tribunal with petitions challenging the declaration on both electoral and constitutional grounds.
