Former federal lawmaker and founder of Silverbird Group, Ben Murray-Bruce, has applauded the five-member panel of judges of the Presidential Election Petition Court for affirming President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the legitimate winner of the February 25 presidential election.
The Court headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani, on Wednesday, upheld the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Reacting to the tribunal judgment, Murray-Bruce, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said after INEC declared Tinubu winner of the election, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP should have emulated former President Goodluck Jonathan by accepting defeat and what he described as the people’s verdict.
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, the former lawmaker asked supporters of all political parties to be mindful of recent events in Africa and tailor their words and actions to promoting the peace, progress and prosperity of Nigeria as one democratic and united nation under God.
He said, “Once elections have been held and a winner is announced, we must follow the Jonathan doctrine and accept the people’s verdict in the interest of democracy and the nation. Our elections don’t have to end in the courts.
“But now that we have found ourselves in this position, and the courts have spoken, let us put national interest above self-interest, accept the verdict, and move on so the nation can advance.
“Bola Ahmed Tinubu, @officialABAT, is the duly elected and undisputed President of Nigeria, @NGRPresident, and this judgment should settle all questions and erase all doubts.
“I commend the judges of the Presidential Election Petition Court for doing a challenging job exceptionally well. It was democracy that won. So, I commend both the President and his challengers.
“Coincidentally, this verdict is coming as the President marks a hundred days in office, days that have been eventful, effective and decisive.
“And now, without this unnecessary uncertainty hanging over his head, we can expect even better days.
“Finally, I call on supporters of all the parties to this now settled case to be mindful of recent events on our continent and thus tailor their words and actions to promote the peace, progress and prosperity of Nigeria as one democratic and united nation under God. #PEPCJudgment.”
