By Chukwudi Nweje, Lagos
Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 Presidential election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, Wednesday described the verdict of the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) as “sound in fact and law, in substance, procedures, and conform to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022 as amended and established precedent.”
He also urged former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the election and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Mr Peter Obi to congratulate President Tinubu, and take another shot at the Presidency in 2027 if any of them wishes to become President of Nigeria.
Adebayo in a reaction posted on his twitter handle @Pres_Adebayo wrote, “I am not supposed to gloat that I told you so. Today’s judgements dismissing weak petitions are sound in fact and law, in substance, procedures, and conform to the Constitution, Electoral Act and established precedents. @PeterObi, @atiku should congratulate @officialABAT…2027.”
Adebayo, who despite of electoral infractions he witnessed and complained about congratulated Tinubu after he was declared president-elect on March 1.
He also cautioned other aggrieved presidential candidates to be honest if they go to court to challenge the election result.
He then stated in a televised interview: “Those who want to court should be honest and make an honest case because he who goes to equity must go with clean hands because we are blaming the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) now; in three months from now the blame will move to the judiciary because when you raise the expectations of your followers so high that you won the election, and they will believe you, and when you get there and the court doesn’t file for, they will say the court is corrupt. Only 12 people will determine this case, 5 Justices of the Court of Appeal and 7 Justices of the Supreme Court,” Adebayo noted after the 2023 presidential election result was declared.
Adebayo, a lawyer, entrepreneur and philanthropist had insisted that for purposes of election, that winning 25 per cent votes in Abuja is not a mandatory prerequisite to be declared winner of the presidential election as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) does not enjoy a special status.