Supreme court dismisses Atiku’s appeal what's the next line of action

                       

 The supreme court has dismissed the appeal filed by Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against President Muhammadu Buhari’s election victory.

The apex court dismissed the appeal on Wednesday after hearing Atiku’s suit against Buhari’s victory at the presidential election petition tribunal.

A seven-man panel of the court held that the reasons for the judgement would be given on a later date.

Tanko Mohammed, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), said after examining the arguments from the parties to the case, the panel concluded that the appeal lacks merit.

“We have examined the submissions of parties in this matter and the exhibit adduced and we have come to a conclusion that this appeal lacks merit, appeal is hereby dismissed,” he said.

Before the final verdict, the apex court had rejected the plea of the PDP and Atiku to adopt all its interlocutory appeals alongside the main appeal against Buhari.

The PDP and Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate, had through Levi Uzoukwu, their lead counsel, asked the court to allow all counsels to adopt their briefs, both in the main appeal and in seven other interlocutory appeals.

“We apply that all the briefs in this appeals be adopted so that at the end of the day, this court will take its decision on the matter,” he said.

But ruling on the request, the panel held that the main appeal covers the interlocutory appeals as well.

Atiku and the PDP filed the appeal before the apex court after the presidential election petition tribunal dismissed their case for also lacking merit.

Atiku challenged the victory of Buhari, who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on the grounds that he allegedly lacked the necessary qualifications to contest for president and that the APC candidate was defeated in the election.

The ruling has finally put paid to Atiku’s legal battles to be President. But there are always other routes. Which of them will Atiku take to actualise his presidential ambition?

Will he start preparing for another shot at the post in 2023? He would be 76 then. Won’t he be too old to contest for the presidency? How old is really old considering President Muhammadu Buhari won reelection at 76 in the March poll.

If Atiku chooses to contest in 2023, what about the zoning issue? Will the north retain power after eight unbroken years at the helm of affairs? What happens to the aspiration of the South to take over in 2023?

The South East and South West are very vociferous it must be their turn in 2023. Will Atiku break the unwritten zoning code and railroad his way to the presidency?

 

Then, will the former Vice President remain a force to reckon with in PDP politics come 2023? There are many PDP governors nursing the ambition of becoming either President or Vice President? Will they consider Atiku big and influential enough in the party by then to give up their ambitions?

How will the voters perceive Atiku if he offers himself again for election? Won’t they consider him a perennial aspirant without the winning dice?

There is no doubt has much musing to do on what really is next after the latest political setback he suffered.