LP rejects Supreme Court verdict, calls on International community to defend democracy in Nigeria

The Labour Party (LP) has rejected the Supreme Court verdict affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu.

The party described the verdict as “shocking and surprising.”

In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Julius Abure, the LP said it was “disappointed and dismayed by the outcome of the exercise,” but that it had chosen to “trudge on and to remain optimistic of what the future holds for the nation.”

“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,” Abure said.

Abure said the Supreme Court verdict was a clear indication 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,” he said.

The national chair added that, “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.”

Recall that in a unanimous decision on Thursday, the seven-member panel of the apex court dismissed the petitions of Peter Obi of the LP and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 election.