No candidate deserves win, says George as PEPC delivers verdict tomorrow

A former deputy national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, yesterday, said it would be a shame if the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) pronounces anybody as winner of the February 25 presidential election.

His comment followed report that the court will, tomorrow, deliver judgment on petitions against the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of thepoll.

The court had reserved judgment after the petitioners: PDP and its standard bearer, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi of Labour Party closed their cases in June, after calling 40 out of 150 witnesses earlier listed in their petitions challenging the victory of Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The court also reserved judgment on petitions filed by Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against the declaration of Tinubu as winner. Speaking with reporters at his Ikoyi office, George described the election as faulty, saying the entire process should be discarded and a fresh exerciseheld.

He said: “If the judiciary pronounces anybody president, with the shambolic procedure we had during the presidential election in February, it would be a shame on this country.

“The judiciary should never go that route. The procedure is faulty. Go back and do the election again. If it’s one million times, go back and do the election. There is peace, now, in Kenya. The Supreme Court told them to conduct the election again.

“If the PEPC pronounces anybody as winner, then democracy in Nigeria would be redefined as ‘government of the judiciary, for the judiciary, and by the judiciary’. Is that democracy? It’s not done.”

George, however, expressed optimism that PDP would clinch victory, adding that whatever the outcome tomorrow, the matter will get to the Supreme Court.

Also, voicing dissatisfaction with decision by former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to join Tinubu’s government, George said: “Wike may be an exceptionally good man but he must tread softly. Jumping ship is too early. The PDP is hopeful of victory. There is nothing wrong in working for the opposition, resulting in a government of national unity. But there is a need to finish the electoral process first. The electoral process is not over until we get to the Supreme Court.”