Now that the 2023 general election has concluded, those who went to court to protest the process must obey the rule in of law and allow the process to conclude logically.
According to Wahab Shittu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who remarked during an interview on Roadmap 2023, a pre-recorded Channels Television program that spotlights election concerns and follows people.
He argued that those who have chosen to approach the judiciary for dispute resolution must be commended for working to strengthen the nation’s democracy and they must not be seen to do anything to undermine the process at the same time.
“When we are practising a democracy and central to the practice of democracy is that those who practice it must be democrats,” he stated.
“It is a contradiction if you say you practice democracy and you are undemocratic in your approach. There are certain fundamentals of a democratic tradition.”
He identified the fundamentals of a democratic tradition as respect for the rule of law, respect for due process, respect for fundamental rights, zero tolerance for corruption as well as good governance.
The legal practitioner took a swipe at some politicians who approach the court for dispute resolution and also protest on the street which suggest they do not have confidence in the judiciary or want to intimidate the arm of government.
During the interview, Shittu commended some aggrieved politicians that decided to seek redress in court following the outcome of the just concluded polls.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of the February 25 presidential elections.
Tinubu secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival — former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While Atiku got 6,984,520 votes, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented finished the race with 6,101,533.
Despite the declaration, both Obi and Atiku have faulted the outcome of the exercise and are challenging the process in court.