Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO) has called on the judiciary to be fair and thorough in adjudicating the petitions arising from the 2023 general elections.
The coalition in a statement issued on Thursday, in Abuja by its National Coordinator, Hon Pamson Dagyat urged the court as the last hope of the common man and in the interest of the preservation of Nigeria as a united country, to be just in the handling of the cases before it.
The group canvassed the introduction of live video coverage of the court proceedings, adding that it would boost the confidence of Nigerians whose faith in the judiciary has been dampened following recent judgements of the apex court on political matters.
CPO expressed deep concern about alleged attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to gag the opposition Labour Party and prevent it from exercising its constitutional right to free speech.
It called on the ruling party to respect the rights of the Labour Party and indeed other opposition parties and allow them to freely express their opinions and ideas without fear of persecution or intimidation. It added that a vibrant opposition is crucial to the success of any democratic system, and any attempts to stifle this right must be resisted.
“Furthermore, we note with great concern the continued campaign of calumny against the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
“Mr Obi has consistently called for peace and due process in his quest to reclaim his mandate through the courts, and it is unfortunate that some elements within the APC continue to peddle baseless and unfounded claims against him.
“We call on all stakeholders to refrain from engaging in these malicious campaigns and instead focus on supporting the democratic process.
“In particular, we strongly condemn recent statements made by the Minister of Information, which only serve to exacerbate an already fragile situation. The February 25th and March 18 elections were marred by irregularities, violence, and the failure of INEC to upload results directly from the polling units to IREV as provided by the electoral act.
“It is unacceptable for anyone to make baseless claims that assault the sensibilities of all Nigerian men and women of goodwill and the international communities whose observers witnessed the charade called an election
“In light of these developments, the Coalition for Peter Obi calls on all Nigerians to continue to support the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, as he seeks redress in court to reclaim his mandate.
“We must all stand together to defend the democratic process and ensure that the will of the people is respected. The CPO is also calling on the judiciary as the last hope of the common man to be fair and thorough in this major judicial process by introducing live video coverage of the proceedings for all to see.
“The CPO urges all parties to engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue to resolve any outstanding issues and to promote a peaceful and stable Nigeria.”
