Criticising the Supreme Court's October 26, 2023 verdict, Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, said when people lose confidence in the electoral process, democracy is on life support.
Atiku's statement came during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, October 30, 2023, where he expressed deep concerns about the future of Nigeria's democratic foundation.
Atiku Abubakar vehemently contested the eligibility of Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2023 presidential poll.
He accused the Supreme Court and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of endorsing illegality, identity theft, impersonation, forgery of certificates, and perjury during the electoral process.
"If the Supreme Court says that it is okay for the president to forge his certificates, then what does that say about the future of our country?" Atiku questioned, highlighting the potential repercussions of the court's decision.
He criticised the court's refusal to consider President Tinubu's academic records as evidence, labelling it a "travesty of justice" and emphasising the court's alleged prioritisation of protecting the president over upholding the law.
Background
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) echoed Atiku's concerns, criticising the Supreme Court for affirming Tinubu as Nigeria's President. Atiku Abubakar, alongside his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, had challenged Tinubu's victory based on grounds such as double nomination, alleged certificate forgery, non-transmission of results electronically, and insufficient votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Despite these challenges, the Justice John Okoro-led panel of the Supreme Court dismissed all appeals by Atiku and Obi last Thursday, October 26, upholding Tinubu's electoral victory.