#TrackNigeria Organized labour has hailed the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on the February 23, 2019 presidential election saying it was a manifestation of an independent and impartial judiciary.
In a statement Thursday, Comrade Issa Aremu, General Secretary of Textile workers union observed that critical key decisions of the 5-person panel in Abuja on Wednesday show that Nigeria’s judiciary had come of age in objectivity, rigor and impartiality.
Aremu cited decisions that Buhari “eminently qualified to contest the February 23, 2019 presidential election” and that the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a citizen of Nigeria not a Cameronian as “significantly balanced, sensible for ordinary Nigerian voters”.
The labour leader observed that the judgement, was a wake up call for all Nigerian stakeholders in electoral process to ensure credible elections devoid of petitions which he claimed are “increasingly getting petty”.
He said Nigeria elections are currently “unacceptably conflictual, personal not policy driven”, adding that Nigeria needs what he called “complementary and cooperative politics” to ensure, growth and development as well as eradicate poverty.
Comrade Aremu called on all political parties to partner with the INEC in a post-election assessment that would make voting and vote counting the sole responsibility of INEC and INEC alone and not the courts, which are burdened already with inconclusive humongous civil cases.
The labour leader urged the political class to see election as the means, adding that the end is good governance which he regrets still eludes Nigeria.
He called for an urgent implementation of all the outstanding recommendations of the 2014 National Conference with respect to electoral reform.
Comrade Aremu urged the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to accept the offer of partnership by President Buhari on the tasks of national building.
He hailed former President Goodluck Jonathan for setting the standard in statesmanship by accepting the outcome of 2015 Presidential elections as declared by INEC.
He observed that though Atiku had the right of appeal to the Supreme Court, it would be an exercise in waste of time and scarce resources as it was in the previous presidential elections petitions and litigations.
