“Don’t Put Someone With A Court Case In Office”- Onaiyekan

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Abuja, has stated that it makes no sense to swear people into an office while their electoral victory is being challenged in court.

This is as Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian president-elect, has been taken to court, alongside INEC, by oppositions, due to the manner in which the 2023 general elections were conducted.

Onaiyekan expressed this viewpoint during an interview with Channels TV on Thursday, April 4.

While speaking on fairness, Onaiyekan said: “There are cases in court that have not been disposed of. That is why we are in an anomalous situation. We have a president-elect whose election is being challenged and the court is handling it. I’m still waiting for the court to tell me who won the election. It doesn’t make much sense to be swearing in people when they are still in court. I know it has happened with governors but the outcome has really not been the best of all cases. I think we need to review our election process, so we do have a winner who will be sworn in and whom everybody would rally around.

“It is a pity that it is taking longer for the court to come to its decision. My problem is that the whole system of our election must be properly reviewed so that it would be easier for winners to emerge according to the wishes of the people. It is not right to have a system that is constantly contested. We should find out why is every election being contested,” he said

The result of the presidential election on February 25, 2023, is currently being disputed in court by Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. The presidential election tribunal will begin considering applications on May 8.