Nigerian politician and opposition figure Ben Murray-Bruce has admonished presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi to eschew their selfish considerations and accept President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.

Mr Murray-Bruce, an ally of Mr Abubakar’s, said today’s ruling by appellate judges affirming the declaration of Mr Tinubu as the winner of the February 2023 election has cleared all doubts about the strength and validity of Mr Tinubu’s mandate.

“Our elections don’t have to end in the courts. But now that we have found ourselves in this position, and the courts have spoken, let us put national interest above self-interest, accept the verdict, and move on so the nation can advance,” Mr Murray-Bruce said on Twitter shortly after the verdict was handed down on Wednesday night in Abuja. “Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the duly elected and undisputed President of Nigeria, and this judgment should settle all questions and erase all doubts.”

Mr Murray-Bruce, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party with Mr Abubakar, said his party’s presidential candidate should demonstrate his statesmanship by conceding defeat like former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Once elections have been held and a winner is announced, we must follow the Jonathan doctrine and accept the people’s verdict in the interest of democracy and the nation,” he said. 

The decision. of the judges was widely condemned by opposition figures, and the main petitioners, Messrs Atiku and Obi, are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Mr Obi is of the Labour Party, another opposition bloc.

The judges were criticised specifically for using technical excuses to knock out most of the critical evidence tendered by the opposition. For instance, the tribunal said the dual citizenship of Mr Tinubu, over which he lied under oath to INEC, was not properly entered into evidence. In another case, the court also excused the dual-nomination of Vice-President Kashim Shettima as unintentional, which further fueled opposition outrage of brazen unfairness by the judges.

Nonetheless, Mr Murray-Bruce commended the judges as doing a good job of strengthening the country’s democracy, especially since they said no sufficient evidence was tendered proving fraud and widespread non-compliance with electoral regulations.

“I commend the judges of the Presidential Election Petition Court for doing a challenging job exceptionally well. It was democracy that won. So, I commend both the President and his challengers. 

“Coincidentally, this verdict is coming as the President marks a hundred days in office, days that have been eventful, effective and decisive. And now, without this unnecessary uncertainty hanging over his head, we can expect even better days.

“Finally, I call on supporters of all the parties to this now settled case to be mindful of recent events on our continent and thus tailor their words and actions to promote the peace, progress and prosperity of Nigeria as one democratic and united nation under God,” he said.

Spokespeople for Messrs Obi and Abubakar did not immediately return a request seeking comments about Mr Miurray-Bruce’s comment.

Mr Tinubu immediately welcomed the verdict on Wednesday night and implored his challengers to bury their political hatchet and support his government towards a better Nigeria.