Ajuri Ngelale, the spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, has said that his boss is not worried about the possible verdict the Presidential Election Petition Court, because he, the president, knows he won the 2023 election.
There are indications that the Tribunal would deliver judgement on one of the cases arising from the 2023 presidential election tomorrow, Wednesday.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, Ajuri said that Tinubu believes in the sanctity and integrity of the judiciary, hence sees no need to raise speculations ahead of Wednesday’s judgement.
Tinubu won the 2023: presidential election but his victory is being challenged by Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Earlier on Monday, the Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Umar Bangari, said the Tribunal will deliver its judgments on the cases before it which is challenging the victory of Tinubu, the then candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25, 2023 poll.
“He (Tinubu) is not worried simply because he knows he won the election,” Ngelale said
“The President sees no need to threaten judicial officers. He sees no need to raise speculations against the integrity of judicial officers; he believes in the sanctity and integrity of the Nigerian judicial system, he believes the great men and women on the panel will make their decisions based only on the fact before them.
“He will continue to ensure that no matter what the outcome of the judgment is, he does his part and ensure that our institutions continue to be respected, not just by him, but all actors,” Ngelale added.
Meanwhile, Ngelale debunked rumours that the federal government has joined BRICs and the G-20 as being widely spread on social media.
He said although there is an invitation to join the G-20, the presidency is currently considering the membership benefits of the gathering of the world’s largest economies.
He said, “There are very wide and extensive consultations taking place within the government. We are assessing both the risks and benefits of becoming a G-20 member. We stand very confident that if our government takes a conscientious view that we should apply to become a member of the G-20, we have an excellent chance of being accepted.
“We have not applied to BRICS contrary to speculations out there. We have made no application to BRICs or the G-20 as of today. Our consideration is based on empirical analysis. It’s not based on sentiment or emotion. It’s about whether or not it will serve the national interest in the national economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the assessment we’re making now.
“We’re still studying it. It is noteworthy that we are being invited with a special invitation by the host nation, India, to be part of this. But look, we want to be clear with our people that this is not just about theatrics, or some cosmetic view of geopolitics. This is about a black-and-white pursuit of the interest of investment to ensure that we can put our people to work in the country.”