PEPT: Election petition not won on social media – Wike

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT, says that election petitions are not won on social media but are decided based on facts and evidence.

Wike, a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, spoke exclusively when he was featured on Channels Television’s Politics programme on Thursday.

The former governor of Rivers State commended the Presidential Election Petitions Court for affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25, presidential poll.

Wike said he did not support his party, the PDP and its flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar at the Tribunal “because I believe their position was wrong; I believe in equity, I believe in fairness, I believe in justice.

“I have always told people that an election petition is not like any other case; it’s a special area; it is not by propaganda, it is not won on social media, it is the presentation of evidence, facts.

“I sat down for not less than 10 hours. Look at how the justices painstakingly took each item one by one, from the preliminary objections to the motions, down to the objections on documents and exhibits, down to substantial issues,” the minister said.

Wike, a lawyer, also said there was no need for the petitioners – Atiku; the PDP; the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi – to appeal the judgment because the Tribunal “affirmed” the will of Nigerians.