By Bliss Okperan
The presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Mr Atiku Abubakar, has said the decision of the Supreme Court to affirm the victory of President Bola Tinubu was not good for the electoral system and the country’s democracy.
At a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the former Vice President said the action of the apex court could spell doom for the nation, noting that it would discourage the citizens from participating in future elections.
However, the veteran presidential candidate noted that he would not leave the political scene as predicted, stressing that he does not see himself as the loser.
“The bigger loss is not mine but for Nigeria. If the Supreme Court implies that crime is good and should be rewarded, then Nigeria has lost, and the country is doomed irrespective of who occupies the office,” Mr Atiku said.
Last Thursday, the apex court validated the election of Mr Tinubu, dismissing the appeals of Mr Atiku and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
The President was declared the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Mr Atiku had made efforts to upturn the victory of his friend, Mr Tinubu, by obtaining academic records of the President from the Chicago State University (CSU).
However, the Chairman of the seven-man panel of the Supreme Court for the hearing of the appeals, Justice Inyang Okoro, rejected the fresh evidence supplied by the PDP candidate.
Mr Atiku, at his press briefing today, implied that the apex court has, through its judgment, legitimised “illegality, including forgery, identity theft, and perjury,” noting that it has told the world that “crime is good and should be rewarded.”
