The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar has applauded the Supreme Court ruling in Osun gubernatorial election, saying that Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has come to stay as a legal instrument for the accreditation and transmission of election results in Nigeria.
Atiku Abubakar made the declaration in his response, through a press statement by his media office, to the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.
Atiku, who congratulated the people of Osun State for the affirmation of their collective mandate given to Governor Adeleke, said that the introduction of technology in the conduct of elections in Nigeria is a progress that cannot be reversed.
“We are all witnesses to the copoius references to the BVAS technology in coming up with this judgment.
“The law governing our elections has truly brought power to the people, and those power-mongering politicians who believe that they can freely subvert the inherent power of democracy now have their hopes dashed.”
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The PDP presidential candidate also urged Nigerians to take keen interest in the growth and development of democracy in the country, saying: “We must not put the laws in our hands but remain vigilant because, as the saying goes, ‘eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.’”
The PDP in a similar statement by Debo Ologunabga, the National Publicity Secretary, said it also appreciated Nigerians, the Media, Civil Society, all lovers of democracy for their solidarity and support in the bid by the PDP to retrieve the Presidential mandate freely given to our Party at the February 25, 2023 Presidential election but brazenly stolen by the APC, aided by INEC.
The party said the solidarity is borne out of the fact that majority of Nigerians voted massively for Atiku Abubakar and they want that mandate retrieved and restored to the PDP and its candidate
“‘As you are aware, the Pre-hearing Session in our Petition before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) commenced today, Tuesday, May 9, 2023.
The PDP and Atiku Abubakar have a water tight Petition. Our facts and body of evidence are incontrovertible. Our Party restates its confidence in the ability of the Judiciary to discharge its Constitutional duty dispassionately based on the evidence before it.
At the Pre-hearing Session today, our Legal Team announced the filing of a Motion on Notice before the PEPC requesting for a live broadcast of the proceedings of the Court.
This application, which is innocuous, is in the interest of openness which is an essential ingredient of participatory democracy especially as Nigerians are desirous of being directly involved at every stage of the electoral process.
The PDP calls on Nigerians to remain at alert, informed and law-abiding as we commence this crucial phase in the quest to rescue, rebuild and redirect our nation from the misrule of the APC.
