In a high-stakes legal battle that has captured the nation’s attention, the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the two prominent opposition parties, namely the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), are expressing unwavering confidence as the Supreme Court prepares to deliver its judgment on the hotly contested February 25 presidential election today.

The crux of the matter lies in the challenge brought forth by the PDP and the LP against the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu, the standard-bearer of the APC. These parties were left discontented when their respective petitions against President Tinubu were dismissed by the Presidential Election Petitions Court back in September.

Undeterred by this initial setback, the PDP and the LP, represented by their presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, took their legal battle to the highest judicial authority in the land, the Supreme Court, in a last-ditch effort to overturn the declared victory of President Tinubu. The apex court, after thorough deliberations on Monday, announced that it would deliver its judgment on Thursday, raising the stakes even higher.

Dr. Festus Akande, the Director of Information at the Supreme Court, conveyed this pivotal decision over the phone, confirming that the verdict would be handed down on Thursday.

In response to the impending judgment, each of the three major parties involved has expressed a palpable sense of optimism regarding the outcome. Bala Ibrahim, the Director of Publicity for the APC, maintained that the Supreme Court would undoubtedly affirm President Tinubu’s victory, citing the compelling evidence presented during the proceedings. He stated, “Certainly, we are still sure of victory. In fact, our optimism is even stronger now because all the facts presented that day were in our favor. We are very confident of the integrity of the justices of the Supreme Court and have no doubt about receiving a just verdict.”

However, Kehinde Edun, the National Legal Adviser of the LP, presented a contrary view, affirming their belief in the ultimate triumph of their candidate, Peter Obi. Edun argued, “We are expecting victory. We have presented our case before the court, and even at the Court of Appeal, we have tabled fresh facts. Don’t mind all these talks that the law cannot accommodate fresh evidence. Which law says that? If something has happened and you want justice, if there is still time, we will put in everything we want to add. So, we are confident we will get victory for Nigerians and the Labour Party.”

Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, added a note of caution as he implored the Supreme Court to consider broader implications in their judgment. He said, “We are appealing to their conscience to see beyond the narrow considerations that have characterized the way the judiciary has acted in recent times. That is approbating and reprobating at the same time. It is important to know that there is a country that we are bequeathing to our children and grandchildren yet unborn. If we have decided to say the crop of office comes with a fraudulent judgment that we have seen lately and give that kind of priority over the expectations that the country has on them, then it will be unfortunate.”

As the nation holds its breath, the eyes of the public are firmly fixed on the Supreme Court’s impending judgment, which is poised to have profound implications for the political landscape and the future of Nigeria.