S’Court Verdict: Why Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso Must Merge To Save Democracy Ahead of 2027, Group Reveals
- The aftermath of the Supreme Court verdict of the 2023 presidential polls has opened the door for conversations about the next cycle of elections
- The United Action Front of Civil Society (UAFCS), a pro-democracy, said there is a need to save Nigeria's democracy amidst the frequent electoral complacencies
- The group has urged opposition parties to merge before the next election cycle scheduled for 2027
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Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil society, courts and metro
FCT, Abuja - Following the Supreme Court's verdict on the 2023 presidential election affirming President Bola Tinubu's victory, opposition parties have been urged to merge ahead of the next election cycle in 2027.
This appeal was made by the United Action Front of Civil Society (UAFCS) via a statement made available to Legit.ng on Wednesday, November 1.
Source: Facebook
Recall that the apex court dismissed the petitions of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi on the premise that they lacked merit.
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All seven presiding justices of the apex court unanimously agreed upon the ruling on Thursday, October 26.
Criticisms over Supreme Court's verdict
The decision, however, got criticism from the parties involved, legal practitioners and political critics.
Most notably, Atiku vented his displeasure over his evidence against Tinubu that the apex court ignored.
The PDP bannerman also slammed the appointment process of justices of the apex court, stating that they are now selected without merit.
Similarly, a retiring Justice, Dattijo Muhammad, also expressed his concern over the omission of two geo-political zones in the presidential election appeal panel.
He critiqued the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kayode Ariwoola, for failing to discharge his duties judiciously.
Justice Dattijo stated his concerns at his retirement validator event to mark an end to his 43 years as a judicial custodian.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer and senior advocate Femi Falana stated that the judiciary is not supposed to determine the winner of an election if INEC get their act right.
He stated the outcome of the 2023 general election is a testament that Nigeria has a long way to go in its electoral system.
Call for opposition merger ahead of 2027 polls
Further reacting to this verdict, the UAFCS noted that top opposition like Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Peter Obi (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP) must ally to save democracy in Nigeria.
The group said:
"We wish to call on leading opposition leaders in the country, such as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi, and Dr Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, among others, to immediately rise up and unite to rally opposition forces in Nigeria to resist heightening impunity and recklessness in the governance of Nigeria, especially in defence of the future of the country's democracy as done in other advanced democracies around the world."
The group also emphasised that without an intense, involved, and active political opposition in any country, the effectiveness of democratic governance will diminish, particularly as the FBI starts releasing the President's files today in the distant United States of America.
Supreme Court: PDP Governor Reviews Verdict, Distance Self from Atiku
Meanwhile, PDP governors have expressed confidence in the judiciary after reviewing the judgment of the Supreme Court.
The PDP governors are commenting six days after the Supreme Court dismissed the appeals of their party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku has rejected the judgment of the Supreme Court while adding that the apex court defended illegalities.
Source: Legit.ng
