By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Labour Party (LP) has declared its intention to challenge the victory of presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in last Saturday’s presidential election, in a competent court of law.
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, had in the early hours of Wednesday, declared Tinubu the winner of the keenly contested election which held last Saturday Feb. 25.
Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat his closest rivals, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party’s Peter Obi who had 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes respectively.
In reaction, vice presidential candidate of the LP, Datti Baba-Ahmed, at press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, noted that the election did not meet the minimum standard as prescribed by the Electoral Act (2022).
His words: “It is our position that the purported result didn’t meet the minimum criteria of a transparent, free and fair election in addition to the most condemnable attacks, voters intimidation and suppression.
“Please be assured of our determination to fight the injustice that has been perpetuated on Nigerians through all legal and peaceful means. We imploy you all to please remain peaceful and calm as our fight and determination for a new Nigeria is just beginning. We equally encourage you all to continue with the campaigns and vote massively for Labour Party in the forthcoming governorship and states House of Assembly elections on 11 March. Our Principal, Mr Peter Obi, will in due course speak to you and indeed the nation.
“We also ask Nigerians to continue to exercise their civic duties in the upcoming elections. I have said that democracy belongs to the people who can practice it. The only language we know is peace. If Nigerians are going to achieve peace through peaceful protests, so be it.”
