Afenifere backs Obi on appeal of presidential election tribunal’s verdict at Supreme Court

The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, on Tuesday declared his support for the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi’s decision to appeal the verdict of the presidential election petitions tribunal at the Supreme Court.

The five-member panel led by Justice Hassan Tsammani had on September 6 dismissed the LP candidate’s petition challenging President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 election for lack of merit.

The former Anambra State had since filed 51 grounds of appeal on the verdict at the Supreme Court.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting held at the Ogun State residence of its leader Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the group reaffirmed its support for the LP candidate ahead of the Supreme Court hearing.

It urged the Federal Government to address the demands of organized labour who had threatened to embark on strike from October 3 over the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy in the country.

The communiqué read: “In line with our disagreement with the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the 2023 elections, we support a further appeal to the Supreme Court in the interest of the nation.

READ ALSO: ‘Don’t embark on another wild goose chase,’ LP faction urges Obi after tribunal’s verdict

“We totally disagreed with the tribunal’s pronouncements that the INEC is at liberty to return to the manual collation of election results and all the primitive electoral brigandage associated.

“Neither is it true with our political structure that Nigeria is now a 37-state federation as the Court of Appeal erroneously pronounced.

“No person or group of persons shall hold the reins of power except in the proven interest of a fair, equitable, inclusive and thus united Nigeria in their peaceful, prosperous and harmonious diversity.

“Government is called upon to look into the plight of Nigerians and listen to the NLC to avert the looming strikes in the interests of the already prostrate economy.

“Government needs to open up to Nigerians and those in power come down from their ostentatious lifestyles.

“From the humongous number of 50 ministers with an intractable number of aides, it is unacceptable that the people are being called upon to make further sacrifices.”

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