Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the highest Igbo socio-cultural organization, has cautioned Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi to respect the ruling of the supreme court for the sake of maintaining national unity.
The organization asked them to support and encourage the President Bola Tinubu-led administration in its present endeavor to improve the nation’s governance standards by enacting significant economic initiatives.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretary General Okechukwu Isiguzoro announced the group’s stance in a statement on Thursday night in response to the Supreme Court’s decision upholding Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC’s 2023 presidential candidate, as the legitimately elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to Platinum Times, the Supreme Court dismissed the petitions that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) presidential aspirants Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar had submitted with it.
Obi and Atiku had filed separate lawsuits with the supreme court to challenge the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which had previously maintained Tinubu’s election victory.
Ohanaeze earlier reported that the landmark ruling by the nation’s top court formally ends the legal battle brought about by the results of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) recently ended presidential election on February 25, 2023.
The jurists’ thorough investigation and impartial verdict in the post-election cases were applauded by the pan-Igbo organization.
According to the statement:
“The verdict reinforces the credibility and integrity of our democratic institutions and, as well, highlights the importance of upholding the rule of law and the will of the people.
“In light of this outcome, Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls upon the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Mr Peter Obi of the LP to emulate the historic gesture of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who congratulated and supported the immediate past Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, after the 2015 election.
“We urge them to reach out to their main political opponent in the 2023 election, President Tinubu, and extend their congratulations on his victory in the Supreme Court.
“This gesture of sportsmanship and magnanimity is crucial in fostering unity, healing divisions, and setting a positive example for their supporters.”
Ohanaeze congratulated President Tinubu on the reaffirmation of his victory and urged him to exhibit magnanimity in victory.