Judgment’ll strengthen democracy — Atiku

Action Congress (AC) presidential candidate in 2007 election, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday in Abuja commended the judiciary for strengthening the country’s democracy.

The Election Petitions Tribunal in Benin yesterday nullified the election of Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor as the governor of Edo state and declared AC’s Adams Oshiomhole as winner of the April 2007 election.

Reacting to the judgment, Abubakar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that: "It is a welcome decision which the judiciary deserves commendation.’’

Speaking through his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, Atiku said the judgment was coming at a time when "despair had begun to set in following a streak of unfavourable decisions that shocked Nigerians beyond expectations.’’

"It will rekindle the hope in the judiciary. We expected Adams Oshiomhole to win because this was a clear case of stolen victory, just as is evident in many other states,’’ Abubakar said.

Atiku, who lost his petition at the tribunal had appealed to the Supreme Court.

On his part, Sen. Ehigie Uzamere (PDP-Edo) described the judgment as "democracy in action" and that the tribunal had spoken on the matter.

Uzamere, however, said they would get their lawyers to study the judgment for further action pointing out that "power belongs to God".

Similarly, the Country Director of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Dr Jibrin Ibrahim, described the judgment as "a very good one".

Ibrahim, a member of the Electoral Reform Committee, said the tribunal had been a very significant actor in trying to give justice after the massive fraud that trailed the 2007 elections.

"The Edo judgment would solidify the confidence in the judiciary. It shows that people cannot use power in a reckless way if we have the rule of law,’’ he added.

Also reacting, the Public Relations Officer of Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Mr Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani, said the judgment was a plus to the judiciary.

"It shows that the truth will always come out when we have people of integrity and the interest of people’s mandate in the judiciary.

"The Edo judgment is a big lesson for other judges and to Nigerians not to rig elections,’’ he said.