Atiku warns Supreme Court against ‘dictatorial forces’ after Bayelsa verdict

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the Supreme Court to be consistent in its judgement.

He said this while reacting to the Supreme Court’s declaration of Douye Diri as the governor-elect of Bayelsa State.

Atiku, who stated that the judgement on the Bayelsa election showed that “power belongs to the people.”

He made his position known in a series of tweets on Thursday.

Atiku also warned the Supreme Court against dictatorial forces.

Earlier, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, had said no one would be sworn in in the state on Friday.

Atiku tweeted, “I received the verdict of the Supreme Court, declaring the candidate of the @OfficialPDPNig in the Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections, Senator Douye Diri, as the duly elected Governor of the state, with gladness.

“I call on all the people of Bayelsa to make peace with the recent past and embrace the future together, united in the mission to transform the state into a haven of peace and prosperity.

“Finally, I urge the Supreme Court to show consistency in its judgments and find the resolve to always deliver just-judgements no matter whose ox is gored.

“The people of Nigeria are behind the apex court in whatever they do to free themselves from the dominance of dictatorial forces.”

The Supreme Court on Thursday nullified the election of Bayelsa State governor-elect, David Lyon, and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, who were already preparing to be inaugurated on Friday (tomorrow).

A five-man panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the All Progressives Congress’ candidates who had been declared winners of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.

The apex court ordered INEC to issue fresh certificates to the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election, which are the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidates.

Justice Ejembi Ekwo, who read the lead judgment of the apex court, made the orders after disqualifying the APC deputy governorship candidate, Degi-Eremienyo, as a candidate in the election.