The Labour Party (LP) has told President Bola Tinubu that
his removal from office by the court will not cause anarchy in the country.
Tinubu had asked the presidential election tribunal to
dismiss the petition filed by LP seeking to nullify his victory on the grounds
that he did not secure 25 percent of the lawful vote cast in the federal
capital territory (FCT).
Tinubu, through Wole Olanipekun, his counsel, in a final
written address to the tribunal against the petition, said the FCT is the 37th
state for electoral purposes and any other interpretation would “lead to
absurdity, chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the
legislature”.
Olanipekun said the petition is novel and not familiar with
the country’s electoral laws.
Reacting, the LP in a statement on Monday by Obiora Ifoh,
national publicity secretary of the party, said Tinubu’s comment was
unnecessary since the matter is before the court.
The LP said the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be
cautious in its approach to the matter which is still in court, noting that no
amount of pressure on the judges in the tribunal can change the processes and
requirements that the law has put in place.
“We are worried that the statement which formed part of his
submissions and was contained in his final written address against the Labour
Party’s petition pending at the PREPEC, and meant to be in the exclusive
custody of the court was leaked to the media,” the statement reads.
“We still do not know
the reason behind this act of desperation, even when the matter is still
pending in court. We will however be careful not to term the action as
sub-judice.
“Having said that, the Labour Party thinks that the
statement was unnecessary since the matter is already before the court, and
going ahead to pontificate on it could be construed as interference in the
duties and responsibilities of the judiciary.
“The truth of the matter is that there are no sentiments
when it comes to matters of law. The law is the law and once the law has
stipulated the manner and how a matter must be carried out, it must follow that
pattern.
“If the law has stated the requirement that a presidential
candidate must meet before he can be declared, there is no shortcut to it.
“Therefore, if the
constitution which is the ground norm of the law in Nigeria has stated clearly
that you must score at least 25 percent in FCT before the president can be
declared, anything short of that can not remedy it.
“We insist that no amount of threat from the APC on the
judges in the tribunal can change the processes and requirements that the law
has put in place. It must be followed and that is the position of the Labour
Party.
“Let me assure the APC and their leaders that if there were
no absurdity, chaos, and anarchy when they forced their way into power, Nigeria
will still witness peace when they are eventually evicted from power.”
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Absolutely correct... When they (APC) A K A,, ALL PATHETIC CRIMINALS) forced their way to the power, there were no Chaos, absurdity, and anarchy... So the greatest joy Nigerians will even witness in this recent time will be, when the Mandate is restored and given correctly to the RIGHTFUL WINNER (P O). THEN JOY AND CELEBRATION WILL ERUPT WITHIN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA.. FACT
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