Posted by By IKENNA EMEWU on
After the landmark judgment yesterday by the Anambra State Elections Petitions Tribunal that upturned the incumbency of Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige as Anambra Sate as governor, the victor in the tussle that lasted over two years, Mr. Peter Obi, who has been declared the authentic winner of the election has said it is not his victory but that of democracy and the nation.
After the landmark judgment yesterday by the Anambra State Elections Petitions Tribunal that upturned the incumbency of Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige as Anambra State as governor, the victor in the tussle that lasted over two years, Mr. Peter Obi, who has been declared the authentic winner of the election has said it is not his victory but that of democracy and the nation.
In a statement he issued after the judgment, Obi noted that "this judgment, we must never forget, is not a victory for Peter Obi as an individual. It is not a victory for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as a political party. It is essentially a victory in the development of Nigerian democracy, an impetus for creating a much better society for our children and children's children. It has lent credence to the point that, in the journey of life, there are no alternatives to treading the path of truth".
He noted that the judgment of the Tribunal has afforded him the opportunity to actualise the promises he made his state and the electorate in 2003 when he sought their mandate to run the affairs of the state.
"I recall that while discussing the crucial topic of leadership in my manifesto I had made this solemn promise: "Our government will establish character and integrity in governance. We will restore core societal values, transparency and accountability. We will also establish and manage a creative climate where people are self-motivated towards the mastery of their long-term goals in a participatory environment.
"The time for redeeming the promise has finally come in this dawn of a new era. We shall promptly put in place an all-inclusive government composed of men and women of impeccable credentials. This is because there is much work to do", he said.
•••Lawyers react to verdict
As the Anambra State Elections Petitions Tribunal delivered its bombshell judgment yesterday announcing that Mr. Peter Obi, the candidate that ran under the APGA is the duly elected governor of the state from the results of the April 2003 gubernatorial elections lawyers made known their positions on mixed notes.
As Saturday Sun sampled their opinions on the development, they hailed the verdict and described it as a landmark decision that has restored the place of the judiciary as the last option for justice. But this position was not unanimous as some expressed caution and rather faulted the system to have allowed Dr. Chris Ngige to enjoy a mandate he never got for over two years.
Prominent human rights lawyer and politician, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) who himself ran the presidential election on the paltform of the National Conscience Party (NCP) described the system as faulty that would allow someone take the mantle of leadership when a petition against his victory is still pending.
Chief Fawehinmi called for a review of the constitution to provide that no candidate whose electoral victory is still in dispute should be sworn-in until the petition is finally dispensed with. He wondered how a politician who never won an election by the decision of the Tribunal be allowed to be in office for over two years. He however noted that the matter was not yet over as Ngige still has the option of appealing against the verdict, and until the appellate comes up with a final decision, it not yet total victory for Peter Obi.
Mr. Emeka Okpoko, personal lawyer to Peter Obi reasoned that the decision is a landmark judgment that proves the judiciary could still be relied upon for justice as the last hope of the oppressed.
Okpoko stated that the judgment proves the system still works and is a way of encouraging foreigners to develop confidence in Nigerian. "Even the foreign investment we say we are searching for would receive a great boost through this type of judgment. It is a sign that the judiciary is independent and can stand on its own. To send an incumbent governor packing is a sign that justice has been manifestly done, we are happy, and grateful to God that the truth was not buried forever".
Reacting to the judgment also, Mr. Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, human rights activist and lawyer said "the judgment is not a surprise because the PDP had already admitted openly that it rigged the 2003 elections nationwide, and especially in Anambra State. Moreover, APGA, under whose mandate Peter Obi contested the election has its solid base in Anambra State where Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu hails from. It is not a surprise that Obi won the election convincingly.
"But we should remain cautious because the Electoral Act states that the incumbent cannot vacate seat until all remedies are exhausted. Ngige still has the option of going to appeal, that may take sometime to arrive at the final decision as a result of the slow system in our judiciary".