Shettima’s Nomination: Atiku says Supreme Court dismissal won’t stop fight for justice

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar says that the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the case of the PDP against Kahsim Shettima, is not a setback to his quest for justice.

Atiku stated this on his official Twitter page on Friday. He said the party’s legal team is “primed to robustly prove that the election of February 25 was fraudulent, did not comply with the constitutional requirements and the electoral guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He further attested that the announced winner was not even qualified to contest the poll.

“The battle for democracy and the enthronement of a new order to spur growth and development in Nigeria is one to which I have committed my all and for which I am not ready to walk away at this point when our nation is at a crossroads.

“We know that sooner than later, our esteemed Justices will make the pronouncement that will serve as a befitting requiem for mandate bandits,” the statement added.

Atiku asked his supporters to be patient and conduct themselves peaceably, as the party diligently conduct its litigation at the Presidential Election Tribunal.

Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court had dismissed a suit by the PDP, challenging the alleged double nomination of Kassim Shettima, the Vice President-elect.

The court agreed with the lower courts that the PDP lacks the locus standi to institute such a case.

Reading the judgement, Justice Adamu Jauro, said the PDP acted as a meddlesome interloper and a busy body as the matter was an internal affair of the APC.

The sum of N2,000,000 was awarded against the PDP.

The Justices further held that the attitude of the appellant (PDP), amounted to misleading the court.

Shettima withdrew his Senate nomination on 6th July 2022 and was subsequently replaced. At this point, he was no longer a candidate for the Senate, and as such his position as vice president did not constitute a multiple nomination breach, it was said.

They added that for a person to have locus standi to challenge the nomination process of a political party, the person must be a neutral person and an aspirant to that position, and a member of the party.

The justices held that no matter the pains of the PDP on how the APC conducted it’s primary elections and nominated its candidate, the PDP must remain as an onlooker.