The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State Tuesday staged a protest rally across the state against the Supreme Court Judgment that nullified the election of Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo State.
Recall that the Supreme Court last week nullified the election of Ihedioha and declared the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Hope Uzodinma the winner of the March 2019 gubernatorial election.
The protest rally took members of the party across major streets in some parts of Lagos such as, Shogunle, Government Residential Area (GRA) in Ikeja and parts of Computer Village in Ikeja.
The protest rally, however, ended at the Federal High Court in Ikeja, while a protest letter was submitted to the Chief Judge of Lagos State by the state PDP Chairman, Deji Doherty.
Speaking with newsmen, Doherty condemned the Supreme Court judgment, saying that it was a rape on democracy and subversion of the will of Imolites.
Read also: IMO: Apologise to CJN, Supreme Court & BMO tells PDP
He said the ruling was an indication that the judiciary had been hijacked by few individuals, adding that the trend portends serious danger for the nation’s democracy and a recipe for anarchy in the country.
He urged Nigerians at all levels to rise and defend democracy, stressing that the will of the people must prevail.
According to him, “The Supreme Court robbed Imo people, PDP and Nigerians of good governance. We know that Nigerians are watching. We urged them, traditional leaders, religious rulers that Nigeria is under siege.
“Democracy is failing the people and when this happens anarchy would come. Our forefather did not believe that we would have a Supreme Court that would not follow the judgment of the lower courts,” Doherty said.
Speaking further, the state chairman, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to leave a legacy behind and sign the amended electoral bill into law.
He called for the setting of a commission of enquiry into the judgment of the apex court to ascertain how the apex court judges arrived at the votes awarded to Uzodinma.
“We urge the President to leave a legacy behind of ‘one man one vote’. The electorate is disenchanted with the state of affairs. The electorate is losing confident in the political system,” he said.
A former minister of integration and special duties, Abimbola Ogunkelu, said the judgment of the Supreme Court was questionable and should be reversed.
He said the only solution to electoral fraud in Nigeria was the signing of the amended electoral bill into law by the Federal Government.
“The Supreme Court judgment is unacceptable; it can be reversed and there have been instances where they reviewed and reversed previous judgments. They are human and they can make mistakes.
“The judiciary should act in accordance with the law, the people are losing confidence in them,” Ogunkelu said.
