As the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) in Abuja gets set to deliver judgment on election petitions, the Labour Party (Lagos State Chapter) has urged the judges sitting at the Tribunal to deliver judgment with justice and fairness.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 5, the spokesperson for the party, Olubunmi Odusanya, expressed joy at the victories of two of the party’s Lagos State National Assembly candidates, Okey-Joe Onuakalusi and Wande George, whose elections into the Oshodi-Isolo II and Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituencies were upheld by a National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Ikeja, Lagos.
Odusanya commended the judges, asserting that their judgement was a symbol that Nigeria could still work with “right people in the right institutions of the state.”
He then urged the PEPT judges to emulate the examples of the Lagos State judgements delivered in favour of the party.
“In view of the above, we at the Labour Party Lagos State urge the Judges at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, PEPT in Abuja to toe the line of their colleagues in Lagos as they set to deliver judgement on Wednesday, September 6, 2023,” the statement read.
“This is an enormous responsibility in their hands and we urge them to deliver justice in the interest of Nigeria, not self. We want the Tribunal Judges to realise that the destinies of over two hundred million are in their hands. This is the time to put Nigeria in her rightful place in the committee of nations.
“A position denied the country by the acts of misgovernance and maladministration inflicted on us by brigandage and charlatans posing as leaders in the time past. We urge the Judges not to succumb to any form of pressure or intimidation from any quarter.
“Nigeria is bigger than all of us and our allegiance should be to the nation, not self. The time to take back Nigeria is now. In like manner, we implore all Labour Party members and supporters and indeed all ObiDients to remain optimistic that our Principal, Peter Obi will be given his clear mandate as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria tomorrow September 6 2023. This will be a definitive move to take back our Country and steer it back on the right track of greatness. It is the only leadership that will birth a New Nigeria,” the statement read.
Odusanya further expressed disappointment over the sack of the party’s House of Representative member for the Federal Consituency, Seyi Sowunmi..
“Furthermore, Labour Party Lagos State received with rude shock and sadness the judgements delivered by the National and State Assembly Petition petition Tribunal wherein in our sitting House of Representatives Member for Ojo Federal Constituency was sacked and the plea of our Lagos Central Senatorial candidate’s were thrown out based on matters we feel are pre-election issues. We thank God that the Tribunal is not the final court of arbitration in these matters. Labour Party will appeal the said judgements.
He expressed hope that the Lagos state Tribunal judgment will be in favor of the party’s governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
“We, at Labour Party are also in solidarity with our indefatigable and ebullient Governorship candidate of Lagos state, Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, whose victory at the Tribunal the Party expects when judgement is delivered in the petition. We reiterate our hope, trust and confidence in the Nigerian Judiciary for a truly strong democracy that will usher in the new Nigeria we all hope for and desire. May God help us to do right,” the statement reads fully.
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Ahead of today’s presidential petition judgement delivery, heavy security presence had been observed at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal venue and strategic locations in Abuja and Lagos State.