Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana has said that the recent Supreme Court judgment in the presidential election case has effectively settled the contest.
However, Falana maintained that it is not ideal for the judiciary to determine winners.
He emphasized that the responsibility should rest solely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if proper procedures were followed.
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Falana highlighted the importance of Nigeria, as the country with the largest concentration of black people, ensuring that its electoral process was transparent and well-organized to avoid global embarrassment for the black community.
According to him, conducting a successful election was not difficult if the political class demonstrated honesty and dedication.
Falana, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday said:
“No doubt the judgment of the Supreme Court ascended the electoral contestation as far as the presidential election conducted in February this year is concerned, but for sure it is not a judicial endorsement of the conduct of the election by INEC.
“And what I mean is that even with the judgment, it is very clear that Nigeria has a long way to go in terms of ensuring that credible elections are conducted, elections that will be devoid of acrimony, elections that all of us will be proud of, but we are still a long way from there even with the judgment.
“Yes for now the presidential election is concluded, it should have been concluded in February, but it has just been concluded by the Supreme Court and it should not be so. The judiciary should not determine the winners of elections.
“Judges are not suited to determine the winners of election; that is a job that is the exclusive reserve of INEC if things are done properly and that is why we must put an end to the shame that has become our law in terms of conducting elections.”
The Senior Lawyer’s comment came after the apex court upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu on Thursday.
The seven-judge panel led by Justice John Okoro also dismissed the appeals by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi.
Okoro ruled that the opposition appeals over claims of fraud, electoral law violations, and Tinubu’s ineligibility to run for President lacked merit.
