-Faults Mary Odili’s Statement Ahead Of Judgement
The Labour Party, LP, has rejected the Presidential Election Petition tribunal’s judgement which upheld the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The party frown at the decision of the Tribunal to throw out all the reliefs sought by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi on Wednesday.
Reacting on the development, the Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement shortly after the judgment, said that justice wasn’t served.
He said the party would consult its legal team and decide on it’s next line of action. Ifoh said, “ the Labour Party watched with dismay and alarm the redundancy of desires by the five- man panel of the Presidential Election Petition Court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani moment and we reject the outgrowth of the judgment in its wholeness because justice wasn’t served and it didn’t reflect the law and the desire of the people.
“We laud the doggedness of our team of attorneys who fearlessly exposed the wrath in our system. We can only weep for the republic of Nigeria but we refuse to give up on Nigeria.
“Details of the party’s position will be presented after discussion with our attorneys after the Certified True Copy of the judgement is made available to us. ”
“We urge all lovers of democracy in Nigeria to remain focused and hopeful because a new Nigeria is possible, ” the LP spokesperson added.
Earlier,the Labour Party had expressed deep concern over a statement said to have been made by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Hon Justice Mary Odili, wife of the former Governor of Rivers States, Peter Odili.
The party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh noted that, “It has become necessary for the Labour Party to draw the attention of the public and indeed watchers of democracy to some unfolding developments in the country ahead of tomorrow’s ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC.
“The unguarded statement by the former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Mary Odili in Abuja last week at a colloquium to mark the 25th anniversary of the elevation of a renowned jurist, JK Gadzama to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and the boasting of some persons, serving Ministers and notable legislators about the outcome has left our party in shock.
“When those who should know the importance of the sanctity of the judiciary descend to the arena of abusing it with their preemptive utterances just to show loyalty and support to their interests, we as a party see this as unfortunate and dangerous to our democratic journey as a nation.
“The release also frowned at the way and manner the Justice Odili showered praises on the lawyers of both the All Progressive Congress APC and its Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
“The release reads as follows, “we find this extremely undignified of a renowned jurist who rose to the peak of her career in the country’s Apex court and who as the Chairperson of the body of benchers, should be at the forefront of defending the virtuousness of the courts.
Also curious to every discerning mind watching the unfolding events in Nigeria since the February 25th Presidential election is the fact that the PEPC that refused live television coverage of the hearings of the petition, and is now anxious to have the conclusion beamed live.
What is it that has happened between the hearing period and the delivery of the judgment that the live coverage which they claimed was a policy issue changed suddenly at the delivery point?
We are aware of the efforts of the agents of the States to orchestrate problems and blame them on the political opposition. We wish to emphasize that it is the right of the people in a democracy to demonstrate and the obligation of state security agents to protect the demonstrators and those not demonstrating.
Meanwhile, we implore Nigerians to remain calm and peaceful, abide by the rule of law, and understand that this matter has not reached its logical and final conclusion.
Our concern as a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s project especially the democratic evolution is that what is being destroyed with all these clever by half playing on people’s intelligence is Nigeria as a nation not necessarily an individual.
Anybody who loves this country should appreciate the importance of due process and the rule of law because, without it, this country is going nowhere”.
