Peter Obi, Atiku receive hand of friendship from Tinubu

After losing in the Supreme Court, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), respectively, received a hand of friendship from President Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu urged Obi and Atiku to work with him to develop Nigeria and advance the nation.

Reports state that the Supreme Court rejected Atiku and Obi’s challenges against Tinubu’s victory on Thursday.

In response, Tinubu stated that his Supreme Court triumph had further intensified and reinforced his resolve to treat Nigerians of all political stripes, tribes, and religions with honor and utmost respect.

“It is time for us to build our great nation together,” was the president’s comment in response to the verdict.

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The statement’s full content is below.

I applaud the decision made by the Justice John I. Okoro-led panel of the Supreme Court on the presidential election petitions that the candidates of the Labour Party and the People’s Democratic Party filed to overturn the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal’s decision.

Without fear or favor, the court has treated all of the matters raised in the petitions fairly and on the basis of the law.

With today’s significant ruling, there is no question that the Honourable Justices’ diligent work and unwavering professionalism in overseeing this case have contributed to the further consolidation and deepening of our constitutional democracy and electoral jurisprudence within the fabric of our nation.

While the contentious debate over who actually won the 2023 presidential election and satisfied the legal requirements outlined in the constitution has been put to rest by today’s verdict, I want to stress that my confidence in our country’s legal system has never wavered—not even for a second—because I am confident that our sacred courts will always provide justice to all Nigerians, in every situation. The judiciary showed its unwavering dedication to preserving the rule of law for the advancement and defense of mankind in the face of intense pressure and intimidation tactics from certain political figures.

Today, it was confirmed once more that the All Progressives Congress, the party in power in Nigeria, had legitimately and freely won the popular vote. This has allowed me to lead this wonderful country during a turbulent time of historic reforms in its history.

I embrace today’s judicial triumph with solemnity and humility, full thankfulness to God Almighty, a strong feeling of duty, and a strong willingness to meet the enormous problems that face our people.

Today’s triumph has given me even more energy and reaffirmed my resolve to serve Nigerians of all political stripes, tribes, and religions with honor and utmost respect for their differing viewpoints and shared values.

I will keep working day and night to create a Nigeria that fulfills our shared hopes and dreams. Our Renewed Hope agenda for a more powerful and prosperous Nigeria has acquired even more traction.

Since we are all part of the same home, it is imperative that we work together to continue building our nation. Now, we must be driven to move forward in channeling the energy of our people into creating a more robust, united, prosperous nation by the power of our diversity and the wonderful citizenship that unites us.

I’m hoping that in the next days and months, a greater sense of patriotism will lead to support for our administration’s efforts to raise Nigerians’ standard of life. I’m ready to embrace everyone in Nigeria for their efforts to advancing and fortifying our shared progress.

I sincerely thank every Nigerian for the mandate to serve our nation. I reaffirm my commitment to work with my team, relying on God’s grace, to meet and surpass your standards in service delivery and good governance.