A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Tolu Bankole, on Friday urged former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to sheathe their swords and join hands with President Bola Tinubu to deliver the dividend of democracy to Nigerians following the judgment of Supreme Court.
Bankole, who is the national leader of APC Persons With Disabilities, also congratulated all Nigerians and the leadership of the party on Tinubu’s victory.
A seven-man panel of the Supreme Court had unanimously affirmed the election of the president and dismissed the appeals of Atiku and Obi on Thursday.
The justices, led by John Okoro, rejected the application of Atiku seeking to present Tinubu’s credentials obtained from the CSU as evidence supporting his claim that the president forged the document submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Reacting in a statement issued on Friday, Bankole described the Supreme Court judgment as a timely judicial intervention to halt the distractions and controversy it has generated and allow the president to begin to ‘walk his talk.’
He said, “Now that our days in court are over, I urge the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, to sheath their swords, embrace the will of the people and support the President in delivering on his Renewed Hope agenda and by extension hands to develop the country.
“The Supreme Court verdict should be accepted in good faith by all lovers of democracy. I call on Nigerians to also desist from divisive politics and comments that might jeopardise our national unity. Our Judiciary has again lived up to expectations. It has reaffirmed our belief that it remains the last hope of the masses. We must collectively commend the pivotal role our Judiciary has played in both speed and quality of delivery to deepening democracy and upholding justice.
“This judgement affirms our conviction that our nation’s jurisprudence has come of age, and it will deepen our commitment to democratic values. As true democrats, we must embrace the tenets of democracy, which also encompass post-election litigations. Our struggle for service must also fuel our reverence for democratic values. Supreme Court has dispensed justice. Now is the time to come together and build our nation.
“The renewed hope drive of President Tinubu is about the best good for the vast majority of Nigerians. The result of the February 25 Presidential poll, upheld by the Supreme Court, represents the will of the majority of Nigerians who voted massively for the APC and it is time to walk the talk without distractions.”
