Julius Abure, the Chairman of the Labour Party has reacted to the upholding of the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the Presidential election on Thursday stating that the fabric of justice and good conscience was shredded by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had struck out Peter Obi and LP’s appeal stating that it lacked merit and further revealed that scoring 25 percent in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is not a mandatory requirement for declaration of a candidate as the winner of election.
In a statement entitled ‘The Structures by Our Founding Fathers to Build a Nation Where Truth wnd Justice Shall Reign And Enthrone Democracy Have Been Destroyed,’ Barrister Abure disclosed that the ruling government led by President Tinubu may have marked some Labour Party’s key leaders, especially its Presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi for vilification to suppress the party.
The full statement reads;
STATEMENT FROM THE LABOUR PARTY, NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, BARRISTER JULIUS ABURE ON THE OUTCOME OF THE SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT
It Is Indeed Another Sad Day For Democracy In Nigeria
The leadership of the Labour Party watched as the sacred fabric of justice and good conscience was shredded today at the Supreme Court as it delivered its verdict in the case between our party the Presidential candidate and the APC Presidential candidate. We are indeed very shocked and surprised that even the apex Court will toe the line of an earljudgmentmdespitee despite all the flaws associated with the judgment delivered by the Presidential Election Appeal Tribunal.
Having conclusively exercised our fundamental rights as gifted to us by the laws of the land, we have no other choice but to move on. We may be disappointed and dismayed by the outcome of the exercise, but we have chosen to trudge on to remain optimistic about what the future holds for the nation.
We weep for our Institutions that cannot rise to the occasion and courageously defend democracy and the voices of our people.
However, there are great lessons for learners. What transpired in Nigeria since the February 25 presidential election is a clear testament that our institutions are not working and that we may be sliding towards dictatorship. It is very clear that the executive has hijacked both the judiciary and the legislature. This is so unfortunate for our democracy, and it is even more for the people of Nigeria.
All what our forbearers taught us has been destroyed within a short space of time because of the Unbridled ambition of a few. The founding fathers fought with their lives to achieve independence for the country. People lost their lives for the struggle to keep our democracy and all these years people have been struggling to achieve electoral and constitutional reforms. Regrettably, all of these efforts and struggles have been destroyed today.
It is also pertinent to put on record that we have it on very good authority that the government may have marked some Labour Party’s key leaders, myself especially and our Leader and Presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi in particular for vilification, in order to suppress the party, suffocate our team, and our goal of a new Nigeria. The planned persecution, intimidation, suppression and harassment of our leaders using security agencies and all other government institutions will be definitely defended.
We are therefore calling on all our members, and the Obidient family to be vigilant and brace up for the challenges ahead. The struggle for a New Nigeria will certainly be tortuous and hard.
We are also calling on the international community to rise to the occasion to defend democracy in Nigeria. Your voices were loud and clear in condemnation of the outcome of the presidential election. As we approach the next stage of our democratic journey, we call on you to stand by the millions of Nigerians who are already pushed beyond their limits into unnecessary hardship and penury.
Finally, we urge Nigerians not to lose hope in our Country. Though we are paying a huge price to achieve a Nigeria of our desire. We are hopeful that we will get to our destination someday because where there is a will, certainly, there will be a way. A new Nigeria is still possible.
SIGN
Barrister Julius Abure
National Chairman
Labour Party
26 – 10 – 2023.
