Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for Nigeria, said his nation is now “doomed” after failing in his quest to have the results of the election in February overturned by the Supreme Court last week.
For the first time since the end of military government in 1999, there were three strong contenders in the election, making it the most competitive since then. With 37% of the vote, Bola Tinubu defeated Mr. Abubakar (29%), and Peter Obi (25%), who both contested the outcome.
Mr. Abubakar was harsh in his appraisal of the court in his first remarks since the panel of seven judges turned down his requests for the submission of what he claimed to be new evidence.
He said that following the ruling “there is no hope for the country’s democracy and electoral politics”.
But Mr Abubakar is not giving up. “For as long as I breathe,” he said, “I will continue to struggle with other Nigerians to deepen our democracy.”
Commenting last week, President Tinubu said “The court has done justice to all issues put up for consideration… without fear or favour”.
“There is no doubt, with the profound judgment of today, that our electoral jurisprudence and constitutional democracy are further consolidated.”
