ASO ROCK WATCH: On Tinubu’s Supreme Court victory. Two other talking points

On Thursday, a seven-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice John Okoro upheld President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 electoral victory, ending the months of legal battle that had dogged his administration.

Two other stories from the presidency were tracked, and reviewed.

1. On Tinubu’s Supreme Court victory

The Justice Okoro led panel dismissed the appeals filed by Tinubu’s main challengers: Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Labour Party (LP), respectively, on the grounds that it lacked merit.

Following Tinubu’s victory, his Special Adviser on Media, and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted the President as saying,
“There is no doubt, with the profound judgment of today, that our electoral jurisprudence and constitutional democracy are further consolidated…”

The Supreme Court ruling, no doubt, reaffirms the supremacy of law, and places a final lead on any queries regarding legitimacy of the Tinubu administration.

Without distractions, the judgment means that the burden of leadership now rests squarely on Tinubu’s laps, as citizens get ready to hold him fully accountable for the country’s woes or progress.

All said, the judgment is bound to enrich the country’s jurisprudence space, especially as it concerns election processes and the integrity of their outcomes. Most impacted is how far Nigeria wants to go with the deployment of technology in the management of electoral systems.

Two other talking points

2. Tinubu’s waiver

In order to ameliorate the current economic hardship in the country, Tinubu, on October 20, approved a partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order that the past Muhammadu Buhari administration instituted against the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), following their eight-month industrial action last year.

READ ALSO:Aso Rock Watch: Dismissing claims against Tinubu. Two other talking points

According to a press release issued by Ngelale, the waiver “will allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union.”

Beyond serving as an indirect palliative to lecturers, it might also be defined as a subtle move to douse any budding plans by the academic union to embark on strike.

The waiver, it could be said, markets Tinubu as a leader who listens, expresses empathy, and can compromise, especially on issues he deems fit enough to be considered for national concern.

Contrarily, the presidential gesture further demarkets the past Buhari-led administration as one that was cold to the plight of the lecturers during, and after their industrial action.

3. Again, Tinubu begs Nigerians

On October 20, Tinubu reaffirmed that to restore Nigeria to its rightful position in the comity of nations requires the sacrifice of Nigerians.

Ngelale stated this while speaking in an audience with a delegation of South-West Muslim faithful, led by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, in Abuja.

“In the history of successful nations, there is nothing more vital than the leadership of a nation taking difficult decisions at the right time and for the right reasons,” he said, assuring that the fuel subsidy had to be removed for Nigeria not to collapse.

With government seemingly lacking the will power to radically deal with the cost of governance, the recurring calls for Nigerians to sacrifice, and endure for the country to get back on its feet appear an exercise in futility.

Put more succinctly, the repeated calls are not only an admission of how challenging the times had become but a barometer to measure the efficacies and sustainability of new government policies on the economy.

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