Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday inaugurated the legal team to challenge the controversial presidential election of February 25, 2023.
The PDP presidential candidate, while inaugurating the legal team at his campaign headquarters in Abuja, charged it to establish the claim of illegality in the February 25 presidential election and reclaim the mandate of the Nigerian people.
Atiku told the team that apart from reclaiming the mandate from those who undertook the electoral heist that was not a reflection of the will of Nigerians, the legal team should also use the opportunity of the trial to strengthen constitutional democracy in the country.
Addressing the team headed by Chief J. K. Gadzama, SAN, at the conference room of his office at the campaign headquarters, Atiku said it was imperative that they work assiduously in reclaiming the mandate not necessarily because of him and the PDP, but to strengthen democracy and the electoral process and for generations unborn.”
The members of the team include Chief Chris Uche (SAN), Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), Tayo Jegede (SAN), Ken Mozia (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Mahmood Magaji (SAN), Joe Abraham (SAN), Mr Chukwuma Umeh (SAN), Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) and Chief Emeka Etiaba (SAN).
Others are Chief Goddy Uche (SAN), Prof. Maxwell Gidado (SAN); the National Legal Adviser of the PDP, A. K. Ajibade (SAN), Mr. O. M. Atoyebi, (SAN), Mrs. Nella Rabana (SAN), Paul Ogbole (SAN), Nuremi Jimoh (SAN), and Abdul Ibrahim (SAN).
In the meantime, Atiku has urged supporters and members across the country to vote for the party ‘s candidates in the March 11, 2023 governorship and Houses of Assembly polls.
He said that “as attested to by both local and international observers, the result of the February 25 presidential election as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission was grossly tainted and did not reflect the will of the electorates. Nigerians have demonstrated against this blatant injustice through different mediums. And for that, I thank them again for their non-violent conduct despite the provocations.
“Indeed, what the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) did in announcing the manipulated result was a clear breach of not only the 2022 Electoral Act but also of its own guidelines which the electoral commission had repeatedly claimed would uphold the standards we had seen in the Osun and Ekiti elections. Curiously, the INEC Chairman further ignored calls for a review of the process in line with the amended law.
But all hope is not lost. As citizens desirous of a better Nigeria, we must never give in to apathy. The electoral fraud perpetrated by INEC will be reversed in due course as we step up the cause to reclaim our mandate.
“We must continue to show resilience in the defence of our democracy and in the exercise of our rights to vote.
“Consequently, I urge all our supporters to turn out in large numbers on March 11 to cast their votes for the PDP in the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly election.
“There is no better way to demonstrate against the sham of an election of February 25 than for patriotic citizens like you to turn out en masse this Saturday to vote for a greater and prosperous Nigeria as envisioned by the PDP.
“I urge you to cast your votes peacefully and in strict compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines. And having cast your votes, be vigilant and protect those votes.”
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