By Odeya Ogbetuo & Samuel Ogude
Since Presidential Election Petition Court’s judgement in Abuja which took place on Wedneday, 6th September, 2023, in a case which involved President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of All Progressives Congress(APC), Peter Obi of Labour Party(LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), many Nigerians have continued to express mixed their feelings over the development. Many have said that Nigeria has a long way to go as the best people are never allowed to govern or be in leadership positions in the country.
The Lead Pastor, Family House Church International Warri, Pastor Emmanuel Osiegbu said a nation without truth, justice is waiting for its doom. According to him, the judgement of the court on that day fell short of many Nigerians’ expectations saying a democracy without the masses is not democracy. He said if justice is not done, saying that anything short of people’s expectations, it is obvious that people may not participate in the next elections.
He said, he does not see any light in Nigeria now that politics has become cash and carry, as this will not improve worth of Nigerians. He said until there is proper democracy in Nigeria, where the people matter and the votes of the people count, where elections are credible, Nigerians have not started yet just as he said Nigerians can not continue to be riddled with elections that are flawed. He however said, so long as Nigerians are trusting in God, it is believed that the judiciary will redeem themselves from the battered of image they have just portrayed and a new Nigeria is formed.
His words:” Is it not obvious that the person in power did not win the election? What a democracy without the masses! The judiciary can pass judegment without justice. However, so long as Nigerians are trusting in God, it is believed that the judiciary will redeem themselves from the terrible image they have portrayed and a new Nigeria is possible” .
On his part, the Pastor of United Church of Christ, Worldwide, Warri branch, Pastor Achibong Peters said leadership or power belongs to God Almighty as God knows who He feels should put in power. According to him, God is aware of the judgement and the reason he allowed it to go the way it went. According to him, many Nigerians including he himself have somebody in mind that supposed to pilot the affairs of the nation but nobody knows the finger of God upon Nigeria.
His words:” Man’s expectations are not God’s , our desires may not God’s, as Heaven is higher than the Earth so His thoughts higher than our thoughts, we may put our eyes on this or that person to do well, but God knows the best.”
According to him, although many people are running away from the country due to the harsh economic condition as they are tired of patience to wait for the improvement of the economy occasioned by bad leadership of former President, Mahammadu Buhari and now getting worse on daily basis with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he cautioned against Nigerians running away from the country as it is not roses abroad.
His words:”You can see that almost everybody is running away from the country because of the harsh economy, because, exercise of patience by Nigerians to see that there is an improvement in the economy by successive governments has not yielded desired results but I advise that, we should stay because, with prayers to God , things can change for the better.”
He therefore reminded the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he is in the helm of affairs to redeem the Nigerians from the suffering which has plagued them over the years and not to inflict more pains on Nigerians.
His words:”I advise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he should fulfill all electoral promises of improved economy to Nigerians, because Nigerians have suffered for too long, he should be able to redeem this country from its economic woes”.
A Civil Engineer in Warri, Engr. Martins Akpobaro said that the Nigeria Judiciary cannot be predicted, adding that ‘the winner takes it all’ is a common syndrome because, it has always been difficult to remove those that are already in power especially, the President.
A businesswoman in Okumagba Estate, Warri, Mrs. Bridget Okonkwo said that the judgment was expected to be so because it has been a normal trend since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, saying that all previous Presidents were taken to court as far to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, but the sitting President would always win such cases. She said, she was not surprised at the judgement, stressing that what she wants is good leadership that will alleviate poverty, improved security and enshrine peace in Nigeria.
A motor mechanic at Essi Layout, Warri, who did not want his name in print said,e he was not surprised to hear the judgement affirming the election and declaration of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. He stated that judgement has always been in favour of sitting President, so he was not expecting the opposite; adding that, we need good government that will improve the qualities of life by creating employment for Nigerians especially the teaming graduates and the provision of stable electricity for the masses.
An Editor of Warri Voice Newspaper, Miss Neyin Tetsoma said that the judgement is expected to be so, from all indications, things have to go that way. According to her, it is always difficult to remove a sitting President through the judiciary saying, anything can happen in Nigeria. She said it has been a culture that it is only coup that can remove any sitting President.
Her words:” This judgment is not different from previous judgments. We want the government led by President Bola Tinubu to bring down the cost of living because, many people are pushed into the poverty level because of the harsh economic situation of the country. The rate of poverty is increasing on daily basis so, something has to be done about it.”