By Daniel Tyokua
The May 29, 2023 handover due date came under another attack on Saturday as the Igbo leaders under Patriotic Forum warned that it might be an invitation to anarchy.
They advised that the Judiciary must be allowed to conclude hearing on the presidential election petitions before swearing in.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, chairman of the forum, chief Simon Okeke, condemned what it called a delayed tactics being employed by the Presidential Election Petition.
“The constitution never said that the president must be sworn in on May 29. So, let’s allow the judiciary to do its work” he added.
Okeke said: “Since INEC failed to meet most of its set guidelines including the failure to transmit votes as promised, from the poling units to fit central server, the announced Presidential results have been challenged by five of the major political parties in the country including the Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
“We, therefore call on the country’s Judiciary to consider the general interest of the millions of Nigerians, as well as the cooperate existence of Nigeria in handling these electoral petitions in order to avoid miscarriage of justice that may precipitate serious crisis in the country.
“Since the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) allows anyone aggrieved after the announcement by INEC of the general election result to go on appeal from the Tribunal to the Supreme court to determine the final winner of the election, it stands to reason that no one should be sworn in as the winner before the apex court pronounces who, in its opinion, is the true winner of that election.
“Common sense requires that until the apex court pronounces who the winner is, the election is only midway and not over yet.” He stressed
Okeke submitted that swearing-in anyone as the winner of that election is premature and nothing other than announcing the result of the match in the middle of the game.
“The match ends with the apex court announcing who in its opinion is the winner of that election. We therefore urge the chief justice of the federation to swear in only the person adjudged by the apex court to be the winner of the election.” He stated.
