Jonathan,others react to Supreme Court judgement on election victory

Jonathan,others react to Supreme Court judgement on election victory

The Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan has welcomed the Supreme Court's unanmous confirmation of his election victory.

Jonathan also commended the Congress of Progressive Change candidate General Muhammadu Buhari for availing himself of the country's judicial system.

“Now that the process has run its full course, I hope that General Buhari and his party will accept the ruling of the esteemed Judges of the Supreme Court in good faith and we join hands together and other well-meaning Nigerians to build a united, stronger and prosperous nation that present and future generation of Nigerians can be proud of.” President Jonathan stressed.

He said “I expected that General Buhari will continue to contribute positively to national development and also mobilize his supporters across the country to join in the process of national reconciliation and national renaissance.”

The Senate President,David Mark in his reaction said that the judgement reflects the people's wishes.and urged the President to use the victory to consolidate on his transformation agenda.

Responding,General Buhari condemned the decision of the court saying it was politically motivated, devoid of judicial content,and a pattern that merely followed the pattern established in 2003 and 2007.

He also accused the court of turning a blind eye to the evidence presented by his party which showed gross violation of the electorial act and the principle s of free and fair contest.

The Judgement

The Nigerian apex court, the Supreme Court,had on Wednesday morning, upheld the election of the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, bringing to an end, eight months legal tussle.

The apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher, said the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, failed to prove that the election was marred with irregularities.

Background

The CPC and its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari went to court after the April 2011presidentia poll to challenge the victory of President Jonathan, claiming irregularities and massive rigging by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during the April election.

CPC, which came second behind PDP in the presidential poll, had filed a petition alleging irregularities in the conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and seeking cancellation of the poll to pave the way for a fresh one.

The aggrieved party alleged that the Electoral Act 2010 was not substantially complied with by INEC and that fresh election be ordered for its candidate Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital which acted as a court of first instance in the petition, had on November 1, dismissed the petition on the ground that it was baseless, founded on hearsay and lacking in merit.

The appellate court held that what CPC brought before the court was allegations that were criminal in nature and which the court could not adjudicate upon.

The Court in its verdict delivered by its chairman, Justice Kummai Bayang Akaahs, had held that Jonathan was validly elected by Nigerians following the failure of CPC to prove the petition.

The tribunal, while dismissing CPC’s petition, rejected the party’s allegation that INEC used military vehicles to convey sensitive election materials to states because it (CPC) failed to establish how the use of military vehicles affected the election negatively.

The tribunal also maintained that INEC did nothing wrong in refusing to release the electronic data base demanded by the CPC to prove its petition on rigging and arbitrary vote allegation, adding that the electronic data base if released to the CPC would expose the secrecy of the election and as such would run against the law and could create security challenges.

Dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s decision, CPC headed for the Supreme Court asking that the judgment be voided and set aside on alleged miscarriage of justice.

The CPC pleaded with the apex court to either deliver judgment in its favour or order a fresh election for its presidential candidate and that of the PDP.

NP/Adekusibe/Cokey