Igbo elders back Onaiyekan, urge CJN not to swear in Tinubu until S’Court verdict 

Eminent personalities from the South East, under the aegis of Igbo Elders Consultative Forum (IECF), have urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) not to swear in the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, until the case before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) is determined by the Supreme Court.

The Igbo elders also urged the judiciary to ensure accelerated hearing on ligations over the 2023 presidential election and give its verdict before the swearing-in on May 29.

Their call came on the heels of the ongoing legal battle between the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the Labour Party, Peter Obi, over the outcome of the election.

Obi and Atiku are challenging Tinubu’s victory alleging widespread irregularities and rigging.

The case is currently before the PEPT, which is expected to commence sitting today.

Recall that few days ago, former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, stated that it doesn’t make much sense for the president-elect to be sworn in before conclusion of the election tribunal.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, at the weekend, Co-Chairman of IECF, Simon Okeke, said, following the controversial February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, the country’s judiciary is now on trial.

Okeke, who is also a former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, said: “Common sense requires that until the apex court pronounces who the winner is, the election is only midway and not over yet.

“Since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to meet most of its set guidelines, including the failure to transmit results, as promised, from the polling units to its central server, the announced presidential results have been challenged by five of the major political parties in the country.

“We, therefore, call on the country’s judiciary to consider the general interest of millions of Nigerians, as well as the cooperate existence of the country in handling these electoral petitions to avoid miscarriage of justice, which may cause serious crisis in the country.”