What's Expected of The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal

In true democracies, the dictates of the greater majority of the people prevail. Through a rather more crystallized and well regulated process of elections organised and supervised by an electoral commission- the umpire of the process, people are availed the opportunity to exercise their franchise to choose leaders of their choice.

But, if by any chances of error committed in the process of elections (whether by the electorates, the umpire or the contesting candidates) that would be seen to have jeopardized the process, the judiciary is given the leeway of intervention to reshape and straighten what has become the crooked outcome.

The place of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man is, in practice and in a more general term, emphasized through its interventions in the correction of shammed electoral process or, in the alternative, to maintain established valid general mandate of the populace.

Today, the political space in Nigeria is charged, beaming with exciting apprehension. The reason for this is that the battle of power that had been engaged on the electoral field between chiefly the APC and the PDP on the 23rd of February, 2019 and which was subsequently taken to the temple of justice by the aggrieved party, which felt short-changed of its perceived victory, is today reaching its climax.

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential flagbearer of the opposition PDP had approached the court seeking it to set aside the verdict of INEC, the electoral umpire that declared Muhammadu Buhari of the APC winner of the presidential bric-a-brac. The process which began in April, 2019 had seen the parties present their sides of and points to the election process, whilst the priests of the Justice temple listened. It has been a laborious process for both contenders and one that looked like a show to the observing populace.

Quickly and the journey of litigation is seen to have reached its climax today. Today, the judicial officers of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) would make a declaration of what he has drawn as conclusion from the submissions of the legal teams of the two political heavyweights. Indeed, the expectations even as it's high, would be really seemingly conflicting on them, going by the convoluted expectations of both parties.

Permutations have gone around and fears likewise have been incensed as to how the outcome of today's judgement would affect the serenity of country. Some have even gone ahead to surmise how a certain group or class of people would take up arms and disturb the peace of the land if A or B is declared winner or loser. Of course, this will be a concern that could affect any patriotic citizen, and yes even the judges as to impact on the tide of verdict. It's one feeling so bad as to have even been seem to be raised.

However, beyond the expectations of the parties- which of course is upbeat to see them emerging victorious and what impact their pronouncement may stir, the judiciary officials must see that the tenets of their office and the very standards of justice are upheld. They must, beyond principles and technicalities of the judicial process, look at the facts of the cases and supporting evidences before them. To deliver justly and fairly.

They must remember today that posterity would judge them fairly and favourably depending on how they are able to handle this case that seems just critical to our history as a nation and a people. No matter whose ox is gored, justice should prevail. This, the judges must remember.