Tribunal verdict exposed PDP, LP lies – Yahaya Bello

 

Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello has said the ruling by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) on Wednesday that the main opposition parties failed to prove claims of electoral malpractice against the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in February’s disputed elections, has exposed the lies of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP).

 

Bello, reacting to the verdict of the tribunal after a meeting with the Vice President, Kasshim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa, said the justices were thorough in their ruling delivered for close to 14 hours.

 

According to him, the opposition parties challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu had no ground to appeal the ruling of the PEPT upholding Tinubu’s victory at the February Presidential election.

 

Asked the general feeling of the party regarding the Tribunal’s verdict, the Kogi governor said, “Nothing is as successful as success. We are happy; Nigerians are happy and the truth is out there. We appreciate all that happened yesterday (Wednesday). The truth has been exposed. Imagine the justices sitting down for almost 14 hours to deliver that landmark judgements yesterday.

“Nigerians within the country and in diaspora are happy and I thinks it’s time to settle down and face governance. And I advise all those that feel aggrieved, we have only one country, Nigeria they should all come together and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and ensure that we fix this country.

“Whatever hardship we are facing today is the effects of the past. Definitely we have Mr. fix it who is trying his best travelling around the world to ensure that Nigeria is fixed. So we are happy the matter is settled.”

On the opposition parties plan to appeal the ruling, Bello said: “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think there is any ground for appeal. I will rather appeal to them that they should drop any appeal going to the higher court and then save the resources, save the trouble, advise their supporters, admonish them that they should accept yesterday’s judgement. No flaw. I thank God for all that happened yesterday.”

 

Asked to react to another tribunal’s ruling that invalidated the victory of two Senators on the platform of the ruling party on Wednesday, Bello said “This is democracy and they have right of appeal. I think they will take the appropriate steps to ensure that no violence is orchestrated anywhere.

 

“We will follow the due process of the law and whatever will be the outcome at the end of the day, we abide by it. But I want to assure you that even judging from the pronouncements yesterday at the appeal court, we are going to have our 3/3 Senate in Kogi state, I can assure you.”