The Lamidi Apapa-led Labour Party faction has hailed the Supreme Court judgement of October 26, 2023 affirming the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court which upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, on Saturday in Abuja, congratulated Tinubu for the victory at the apex court and urged Tinubu to be magnanimous in victory by inviting the the party leadership as a partner in progress to an all inclusive government in other to move Nigeria forward.
The party said that the lawyers of its Presidential candidate in the February 25, 2023 election, presented the “worst election petition ever in Nigeria’s history.”
A seven member panel chaired by Justice John Inyang-Okoro dismissed the petitions of Obi and that of the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The chairman, after summing up proceedings, declared that the petitions deserved to be dismissed as unmeritorious and subsequently dismissed them.
In their statement on Saturday congratulating Tinubu, the Labour Party said it was ready to support Tinubu to work for a new and better Nigeria.
The party urged Nigerians to join hands in patriotism with Tinubu to revive the economy.
The statement reads: “The Labour party National Chairman Bashiru Lamidi Apapa and members of the National Working Committee of our great party congratulate you once again and we are hereby reaffirming our unflinchingly support for a new and better Nigeria under your leadership.
“President Bola Tinubu (GCFR) victory at the Supreme Court on Thursday 26th October was not a fluke as he deployed all what was required to win an election, a two time Governor of Lagos State, the commercial capital of Nigeria is a man of many means that remain very focused on his long term ambition.
“The President knew what he wanted because when political shenanigans was on the prowl, when all hope seemed impossible, he remained unperturbed but rather spread the Emilokan political virus that went across the nation upon which he affirmatively claimed victory in the Apex Court.
“While the leadership of the LP wishes to thank all the democratic citizens of Nigeria, who participated in the just-concluded 2023 general election,for maintaining peace and orderliness till we took the journey of the survival of democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria to this peaceful end, we urge Nigerians to remain calm and resolute in this trying time of national survival, as the man in the helm of affairs knows the job he was voted to do.
“The victory of President Bola Tinubu is well-deserved. It is a testimony of hard-work, resilience, dedication and love for the nation. President Tinubu fought for the emancipation of democratic values and true democracy in Nigeria, starting from his youthful ages to this present time he actualised his dream of birth of a new Nigeria.
“Let us still believe in the democratic government, no matter what selfish politicians and cohorts hid in their stocks against the growth of democracy.
“The LP under the leadership of Alhaji Lamidi Apapa therefore again wants to congratulate President Bola Tinubu, the entire Nigeria presidential constituency on the resounding victory of our President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Supreme Court.
“The beauty of democracy is that election divides all democratic citizens, the democrats and the entire populace into losers and winners
“While we in the LP appeal to the losers, especially the PDP presidential candidate to toe the path of patriotism as democrats, we urge the winners to be more magnanimous in victory,since the government is for us all.
“The country is moving forward with a speed of light, as we all join hands in patriotism with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to revive the nation’s economy.”