.jpeg "2023 PEPT Decision: Atiku's avarice contributed to the PDP's loss - Okechukwu")
In response to the judgment, Okechukwu, who addressed journalists in Abuja, acknowledged that the primary opposition party, the PDP, had favorable prospects for a resurgence in the upcoming 2023 presidential election. However, he attributed the party's failure to secure victory to the political ambition of their candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, which was driven by personal gain rather than the party's success.
The Tribunal's ruling thus far has been in favor of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okechukwu observed that he holds sympathy for the PDP, LP, and APM, who are the petitioners in this case. Specifically, he suggests that supporters of the PDP and LP should refrain from attributing blame solely to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPC), but rather direct their criticism at His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Okechukwu asserts that it was Atiku's excessive pride and desire for personal gain that ultimately led to the denial of victory for these petitioners.
Additionally, the author observed that Atiku's inability to seize the advantageous opportunity and demonstrate statesmanship by endorsing his former running mate, Peter Obi, or any other presidential candidate from the southern region, resulted in a division within the opposition party. This division has inflicted a significant setback upon the PDP, potentially impeding its ability to fully recuperate.
The speaker refuted the assertions made by the individuals who filed the petition, which claimed that there were irregularities in the election process, questioned Tinubu's eligibility, and highlighted the failure to send results electronically in real-time as significant factors that undermined the respondents' argument.
The resolution of those complex webs could have been achieved had Atiku adhered to the zoning convention and lent his support to Peter Obi or any other presidential candidate from the Southern region. This would have resulted in a straightforward all-southern contest. The emergence of the Wike masquerade is highly unlikely. This would have implied that the majority of votes he received might be attributed to the PDP.
According to the speaker, Atiku's actions resulted in a permanent division of the votes within the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Additionally, the votes obtained by the Labour Party were solely from the party's strongholds, excluding the votes that were strategically withheld by the former Vice President. The speaker criticizes Atiku for underestimating the sophistication of northern voters and assuming that they would blindly follow instructions on how to vote, likening them to children in a dormitory.
Okechukwu, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (DG, VON), expressed his belief that President Tinubu should be commended for his role in upholding the zoning convention, which ensures fairness and justice between the northern and southern regions.
The individual expressed their congratulations to President Tinubu for successfully preserving the zoning convention, which serves as a crucial link between the northern and southern regions, safeguarding it from an unprecedented attack.
In my opinion, it may be argued that the opposition party suffered a significant setback during the 2022 election when His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar disregarded the established presidential zoning convention that had been a guiding principle in Nigeria's 4th Republic and was also enshrined in his party's Constitution.
It is worth noting that Atiku garnered praise for his actions during the PDP Convention in 2014, wherein he departed abruptly in response to President Goodluck Jonathan's perceived violation of the zoning convention. In 2018, Governor Nyesom Wike played host to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Convention in Port Harcourt. During this event, he implemented measures to uphold the zoning convention by allowing only presidential hopefuls from the northern region to compete for the party's presidential ticket.
It is evident that Atiku's prioritization of personal political aspirations over statesmanship has resulted in a detrimental impact on the integrity of the PDP. According to the well-established adage, it is imperative for Nigerians to acknowledge that Atiku's avarice resulted in the denial of a potential victory for the PDP, hence highlighting the detrimental consequences of a divided house.
In terms of future prospects, the APC chieftain proposed a rewritten Electoral Act that would effectively address any existing issues by mandating the exclusive use of electronic accreditation and transmission of results.
I am in agreement with the notion that the manual collation of results should be completely eliminated and replaced with the compulsory use of electronic communication of results.
It is imperative that we revisit the esteemed Justice Uwais Handbook on Electoral Reform, which, among other valuable democratic principles, provides recommendations on the transparent recruitment process for the INEC Chairman, Commissioners, and other relevant personnel.
Based on these altercations, it is quite likely that Election Petitions will be resolved prior to the official swearing-in of the declared winners.
Okechukwu emphasized the significant progress that our democracy has experienced and underscored the notion that democracy is an ongoing process rather than a sudden revolution.