A PAN Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, has said that the legal representatives of the candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), did not do a good job defending the victory of their clients at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
According to Ken Robinson, the National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, the lapses in the presentations by the counsel for LP and PDP were regrettable, adding that the lawyers did not do due diligence on the matter.
Robinson said, “We followed the extensive judgment that lasted for about 11 hours, and it was elaborate. The justices of Court of Appeal made exclusive explanations and detailed ruling on the matter.
“For an ordinary man who is not a lawyer, what we saw and witnessed yesterday, seems to be sound and the statements that the judges made were explicit that even the ordinary man will understand that the petitioners did not do a good job.
“Of course, there is room for appeal by those who are dissatisfied with the judgment of the tribunal. With what we witnessed yesterday, without being pre-emptive, it was an exclusive judgment and the facts of the matter were very clear. I think the judges did a good job.
“With due respect to the learned lawyers, who handled those petitions, perhaps they need to apologise to their masters and principals who gave them those jobs. From what we witnessed yesterday, they did not do a good job.
“People will express emotions, but the court does not look at the emotion, but evidence brought before it. For us, we will appeal to those who are dissatisfied with the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to explore the avenue of appeal.
“In the interest of Nigeria, National Unity and Peace and overall interest of the development of this country and our democracy, nobody should take laws into their hands.
“Nobody should even castigate or go into name-calling of the judiciary. They have done their job very transparently, as it should be done. For us in PANDEF, we will call all those who are dissatisfied to explore the avenue of appeal and avoid making statements that will heat up the polity.”
