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It started like a joke. It continued to look like one until it actually became part of an election petition. A claim that pretended to misunderstand section 134(2) of the Nigerian constitution. That section states, “A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election, he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and must have nothing less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.” On Wednesday, the joke was handed a much-needed legal rest. The judges deemed the agenda, “completely fallacious, if not outrightly ludicrous”. I’d go with both, unequivocally.

In essence, the Labour Party and Mr Peter Obi‘s petition was arguing for an apartheid state. A country where the votes of the minority in Abuja could render the votes of Nigerians elsewhere less important. It was never going to pass any legal or even common sense test, but imagine for a bit that it did.

We would have a situation where every logical Nigerian of means and ability would seek to be an Abuja voter. Because according to the Obi argument, even if one won all the votes in the other 36 sub-nationals, as long as you scored less than 25 percent in Abuja, you were not to be declared president. That was the argument they made. Even if they had a more serious case at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), it would have taken something otherworldly to successfully make an argument that would even make any judge pay any attention. Sadly, the Labour petition was generally weak and appeared to be unserious overall. Over 75 percent of their witnesses were proven to be bad witnesses. The judges struck off 10 of 13 of them.


5'
ABUJA 25 PER CENT: VICTORY FOR NIGERIANS
Life & Style |
7 hours ago


The judgment of the PEPT reflects our democracy as being on sound footing, reckons Joshua J. Omojuwa

It started like a joke. It continued to look like one until it actually became part of an election petition. A claim that pretended to misunderstand section 134(2) of the Nigerian constitution. That section states, “A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election, he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and must have nothing less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.” On Wednesday, the joke was handed a much-needed legal rest. The judges deemed the agenda, “completely fallacious, if not outrightly ludicrous”. I’d go with both, unequivocally.

In essence, the Labour Party and Mr Peter Obi‘s petition was arguing for an apartheid state. A country where the votes of the minority in Abuja could render the votes of Nigerians elsewhere less important. It was never going to pass any legal or even common sense test, but imagine for a bit that it did.

We would have a situation where every logical Nigerian of means and ability would seek to be an Abuja voter. Because according to the Obi argument, even if one won all the votes in the other 36 sub-nationals, as long as you scored less than 25 percent in Abuja, you were not to be declared president. That was the argument they made. Even if they had a more serious case at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), it would have taken something otherworldly to successfully make an argument that would even make any judge pay any attention. Sadly, the Labour petition was generally weak and appeared to be unserious overall. Over 75 percent of their witnesses were proven to be bad witnesses. The judges struck off 10 of 13 of them.

Of the matters before the tribunal, this Abuja special status matter was the very one that never should have been. There was nothing to test in court here. The constitution was addressing a mathematical issue, that in the calculations, consider Abuja and the 36 states and then do your maths using 37 as baseline. 25/100 x 37 instead of 25/100 x 36. This was the whole point of section 134(2). That politicians desperately went to court to use that as an opportunity to win an election against what that would portend for Nigeria — that some votes are more important than others — speaks to the desperate length people can go when it comes to the pursuit of power. This is exactly what Nigeria does not need. I hope people will do better.

The judgment by the PEPT serves our country and reflects our democracy as being on sound footing. It is not without its challenges, but advancements have been made and there is a plethora of lessons to pick for the future. I am excited about this because for the umpteenth time, our democracy gets to prove its resilience. We have had our eyes on the judiciary — without screaming it out as an intimidation tactic. It was beautiful to watch Nigerians lend their ears and time to the judges as they delivered judgment over several hours. They were never going to reach conclusions that’d have met everyone’s expectations, but they did reach conclusions that were backed by the laws of the land and in the Abuja 25 percent matter, law and universal logic.

There was always going to be a winner and there’d be those who’d have to try again. Like the election itself, it is not a competition for the loudest noise makers. The judges proved that. You make your argument, present your valid witnesses and tender your evidence. In essence, we trusted the judiciary to do its job and with the judgments announced, they did.

Calm heads must prevail. We must be amongst those calling for all the parties to stick to the constitutional order. By all means, don’t get sucked into breaking public order and avoid prodding anyone to take such a step. We cannot afford to get sucked into the desperate games of chaos entrepreneurs who have mastered the art of profiting from our differences and violence. Only a few people profit from these desperate shows. Those who mean well for our country must continue to defend constitutional order and the rule of law. If we jettison the rule of law, there is no chance of a country.

Every candidate who participated in the elections automatically signed up to play by the rules of the constitution and electoral law. They all appeared to do so. Those who would destroy public properties and foment trouble must reflect deeply. Note that the children of those you are fighting for or looking to fight for will not be anywhere near these lawless moves. Be wise. It is an election. The tribunal ruling is an essential part of the process. We have trusted the judges to hear all the cases. It is now time to live and abide with their judgments. The judges have endured intimidation over the months, it is now time for everyone to live with the consequences of their judgments. The arguments have been heard, the evidences have been tendered and the judgments have been delivered.

The matter advances to the Supreme Court. Note that new arguments, witnesses or evidence will not be presented to the apex court. The court’s ruling will be based on all the presentations already made and the judgment already delivered. Theirs will be to look at the gaps in the process so far, if any. And where such exist, to determine whether there is enough to reverse the PEPT. In the absence of any gap or gaps substantial enough for such a reverse, to uphold the judgment of the PEPT. However this ends, you can bank on something; in 100 years of voting, the vote of each Nigerian remains equal to one another. It won’t matter whether the vote is cast in Abuja or cast in Igbokoda. Victory for common sense.

Omojuwa is chief strategist, Alpha Reach/author, Digital Wealth Book

Source;
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/09/08/abuja-25-per-cent-victory-for-nigerians

Cc:

Mydd44
Nlfpm

On today's episode of FAFO.
Fvck around and find out

Op is just trying to be clever by half, all parties have closed their case, where are the evidence now coming from everyday?

Wetin you think say them fit do before? Empty barrels.

Been thinking about this also, my fuel usage has dropped with at least 60 percent since the subsidy removal, I know a lot of people like that also, then how come Nigerian daily usage dropped by just 20 percent? When i and other people who have either parked their cars at home or only fuel their Gen when absolutely necessary must have contributed at least 15 percent drop in daily usage, this means that the smuggling is either insignificant or even a lie or part of the corruption we are talking about.

Taylor90:
You call this disgrace?

Same you will praise Buhari but condemn Emefelie

You’re condemning smoke and neglecting the fire itself

Buhari who’s the main architect dey chill for London while Tinubu is dragging a mere apprentice because Emefiele didn’t let Tinubu use old currency for vote buying

Guy you sure say you get work so? You're always everywhere commenting on Nairaland, has Nairaland started paying members? Better be productive.

10 years, Nairaland use to be very informative to the extent that whenever I need any information, I'd Google the thing and add Nairaland, eg, how to migrate to Us with student visa Nairaland.

I've been here for more than 10 years, wow!

Gajagojo:
so any person challenging fascism is Igbo or IPOB
Even those whi stand surety for a person who jumps bail are not liable to arrest

We need to decide whether we want democracy or not
Lo ronu piwada ki o to sonu si inu aiye. Ohun ti ko da ko ni oruko meji

The defamation law is only available to the rich to oppress the poor
If not Femi Fani Kayode would be in prison

It is available only for the likes of Ned Nwoko

This is not a DSS matter and there is no reason to arrest anybody for his brother's crime

Someone sat at home and wrote that Fashola was writing the Election tribunal judgement with a heavy security from armies thereby defaming the military, Fashola, the judges of the tribunal, the president and you want him to go free? Because of freedom of speech?

Gajagojo:
Whether he reported a rumor or not what happened to rule of law? Why is his brother arrested? Did you go to school at all.

You wey go school, professor of IPOB, he should quietly report himself to the DSS and his brother will be released, meanwhile, he will be staying with the DSS for a very long time.

Bigkoko:
Any wonder they behave like touts? When their C-IN-C is a tout and a deadbeat drug cartel baggy man, what do you expect? Imagine the police in civilized clime arresting you because they are looking for your brother or mother?

We thought the worse would be buhari but, there was an Asiwaju lurking inn the shadows.... Well all these are gonna end in a few months!

You might be the next person to be arrested, someone who threatened to kill president Joe Biden was shot dead by FBI recently, nothing happened.

He should be locked up and they should throw the key to the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Since you no dey fit sleep why not collect update make you dey bomb for night?

Julius1995:
slowpoke said, "so let me serve you with your own plate". Lol, is this all you've got. First, the reason why persons like me are Obedients and doing all what we've been doing - speaking out for bad government,
is to save the children who will be unfortunate to come from people like you. How unfortunate can you be. I'm sure you supported Buhari, who undoubtedly is one of the biggest failure in the history of leadership anywhere, you did not stop there, you went ahead to vote a Bola Tinubu who licked a microphone when he was asked to test the mic, and who also has numerous baggages hovering around him. One will think worthless things like you will be retrospective enough about the country. No, you are moving mad around defending your enemies, on empty stomach I'm sure. Can you see now that, your parent would have done us a great favor not having you. Omo eru

Everybody has the right to support whoever they want, to hell with you and your fellow Obidients who think they can violently influence other people opinion, and you mentioning my parents means your own parents are either dead or useless.

Julius1995:
I'm in the South West. I will give you my full identity. If you will disclose yours too. I'm an obedient. Parents of people like you did a great disservice to humanity by giving birth to you. When the useless Fashola was spreading wakr news in 2015 and from then till 2023, I'm sure your brain was not working then. See a nonentity trying to be relevant. I'm very sure you are a Muslim, na una dey dey convenient with lies like that

Who cares if you're in the south west? Only low life people who has no parent drag people's parents into a discussion so let me serve you with your own plate.

Your parent are slowpoke and an ineffectual buffoon, your dad was stupid enough not to use a condom, he would have prevented a disaster like you, your mom was also useless enough to conceive something like you, i curse the womb that conceive you, you useless and rabble rowser Obidient.

I'm waiting for your response you useless and Arrogant Igbo boy, I curse you and your useless parent, let's do this until we're both ban from Nairaland.

We are always quick to blame the politicians in Nigeria while Neglecting the citizens who has chosen to be useless, Bayelsa citizens has chosen not to be productive nor industrious, they have chosen to be shouting our oil our oil while collecting free money and continue to be useless, this applies to almost all south south states apart from Edo and probably Delta because of the presence of the Igbo, take it or leave it, only the Igbo and Yoruba are the serious people in Nigeria.

Jackson Ude is probably not in Nigeria so he go dey difficult to catch, DSS should rather use one of these useless Obidients as example, they can as well contact me so that I can nominate one Obidients on Nairaland for the lesson.

Alright

Flame333:
Abeg nor vex.. I go correct myself next time.. I just did my research now.. One love

You're definitely not Igbo, those ones go rather di.e than accept the fact.