A stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Elder Peter Daramola, has described the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) reaffirming Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election as a welcome development and victory for democracy, applauding the jurists for delivering a sound, brilliant and courageous judgment.

He said, “The judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) is a welcome development, the petitioners were chasing shadows because most of the writ in the petition were issues already decided long ago. They were unable to substantiate their claims.

“The tribunal did justice by educating Peter Obi’s legal team on how to deal with petitions. Even a novice knew from inception that the petitions of Obi and his Labour Party (LP) were frivolous, and pedestrian and would eventually be thrown to the thrash bin by the tribunal.

“I give kudos to the Tribunal for a sound, brilliant and courageous judgment. Atiku’s petition is similar and the same outcome is expected. So, I am not in any way surprised that it turned out that way because you can’t build something on nothing.”

But, to a chieftain of the opposition Labour Party (LP) in the state, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, the judgment did not come to him as a surprise knowing full well that anything goes in Nigeria, adding that he didn’t expect anything different from the tribunal.

“This is a country where judgment favoured even men that didn’t contest for the primary election for the Senate, among other positions, and they are in the Senate and other places now. Lots of cases abound like that.”

An APC chieftain in Moro local government area of Kwara state, Prince Ibrahman Adebara, while lauding the tribunal judgment and congratulating Nigerians, the APC and President Tinubu on the judgment, stressed the need for Nigerian politicians to imbibe the spirit and culture of sportsmanship by embracing winners in the Elections to avoid unnecessary litigations, saying processes of litigation up to the Supreme Court are cumbersome and waste of time and resources.

He said: “It is only turning our lawyers in the country into overnight millionaires. Also, Tinubu should endeavour to remain focused and not distracted, and give the country good governance.”

A PDP stalwart in Ilorin West, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, described the tribunal judgment as unfortunate, saying though his Party lost at this level, there is still room for an appeal which he believed his party would pursue to seek redress.

He said: “Our party has ruled this nation for several years with much to show for it. Our party would ensure this judgment does not stand and it comes in our favour NY the time we get to the apex court. Just watch the next development.”

Another LP chieftain, Chief Okorie Daniel, said: “The judgment delivered today was a blow to our party and Presidential Candidate Mr Peter Obi.

“The PEPT has done its worst by striking out our Presidential Candidate’s petition lacking merit. It’s quite unfortunate, I, as a person, cannot get it right for now because the money involved is enormous.

“Thank God that the case can still be taken to the apex court which I am sure our party will explore.”