S’Court verdicts: ‘Tender unreserved apology for previous attacks on Judiciary,’ APC tells PDP

S’Court verdicts: ‘Tender unreserved apology for previous attacks on Judiciary,’ APC tells PDP

Joel Oladele, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked its major political rival, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to tender an unreserved apology for denigrating the judiciary in the past when judgments were not in its favour.

In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, Esq on Friday, APC hailed the decisions of the Apex Court on election petitions challenging the outcome of 2023 governorship elections in eight states.

The ruling party however said the verdicts further confirmed its position to allow the judiciary to exercise its vibrancy and independence without any external interference. 

National Periscope recalls that only three out of the eight judgements delivered by the Supreme Court today are in favour of APC, while five are in favour of other political parties.

In Lagos, Ebonyi and Cross River States, the Supreme Court upheld the election of Governorship Candidates of APC. However, the appeals on Kano, Zamfara, Bauchi, Plateau and Abia states were shared among NNPP, PDP and Labour Party (LP). 

APC noted that “while the Apex Court’s decisions will undoubtedly elicit mixed reactions and reviews, the decisions are final and binding on all parties to the legal contests. The decisions today provide a strong affirmation of the authority, vibrancy and independence of the Judiciary.”

The statement read in part:

“APC has been consistent in its position that the Judiciary must be left alone to perform its important duty of resolving disputes, including electoral disputes, as constitutionally mandated. The decisions today must serve as a rebuke to political opposition figures that vilified and denigrated our courts when judgments were handed against them in these same matters.  

“Assuming that it has any spec of decency left, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must tender unreserved apology to the courts and our judges for the senseless, irresponsible, reckless and unjustified attacks it mounted against the Judiciary throughout this electoral cycle.”

The party therefore congratulated the winners, “particularly our Governors, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, and Bassey Otu of Cross River State, and wish them the very best as they continue to serve their states and country. 

“We urge everyone to remain calm and continue to maintain the peace.”