The Nigeria for Peace (N4P), a coalition of civil society organisations, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s forthrightness in the aftermath of the recent Supreme Court judgements, stating that his non-interference in the cases has preserved the peace of the nation.
The CSOs in an open letter, said as patriotic individuals and peace building practitioners across Nigeria, they strongly believe in the oneness, unity, peace and security of the nation at all cost, and commended Tinubu for towing the line of justice rather than political expediency.
The open letter to Tinubu, which was jointly signed by the convener, Amb Ibrahim Waiya and co-convener, Chief Mulade Sheriff, said Tinubu was neutral in all election appeal classes.
The group also applauded the Supreme Court Justices, led by Justice John Okoro, for saving them from imminent political conflicts and salvaging the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
“We wish to start by congratulating you on your victory at the Supreme Court in the 2023 presidential election case. On behalf of the peace-loving citizens and democrats, we commend you for your outstanding demonstration of nationalism, patriotism, and democratic culture by remaining neutral in all the election cases in the Supreme Court, especially those involving states won by opposition parties.
“This has not only proved that you are a true democrat, a patriotic and selfless leader but also a leader who believes in the national interest above partisan and selfish interest,” the CSOs said.
While reminding the president of past events, the CSOs said there were many election appeal cases before the Supreme Court, which originated from Election Tribunals and went to Appeal Courts, mostly challenging the judgments against some governors, who were declared winners by INEC, especially in some opposition states.
“The cases created tension and fear capable of igniting crises if justice was not
served. Indeed, we commend your resilience for supporting all efforts aimed at upholding democratic best practices which emphasise the recognition of the people’s mandate.
“We equally acknowledge the steadfastness of our respected Justices at the Supreme Court for demonstrating patriotism, and for not allowing themselves to be used to suppress the will and mandate of the Nigerian citizens.
“The election petition judgments of 12th January, 2024, would be celebrated in the history of Nigerian democracy, as they redeemed the image of the Nigerian judiciary, and saved our democracy from collapse at a time when Nigerians have almost lost confidence in the system.
“It is our strong belief that the judgments of the Supreme Court in all the election petitions cases have asserted the supremacy of the Apex Court in the land, with highly learned men and women ready to make sacrifices to save our dear country, Nigeria,” the CSOs said.
