The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has expressed disappointment over the judgement delivered by the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal.

Ugorji stated that the ruling fell short of people's legitimate expectations and moral and legal standards. The CBCN expressed disappointment in the dismissive approach taken by the PEPT towards the petitions filed by aggrieved contestants. [caption id="attachment_10089" align="alignnone" width="800"] Archbishop Ugorji. Photo: ACI Africa[/caption] Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party rejected the PEPT verdict and have decided to take their case to the Supreme Court. The CBCN emphasised the importance of a fair and just resolution of the election dispute and called on the Supreme Court judges to uphold the law and not bend to any party's whims. The Christian body expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria and criticised the government's approach to addressing it. They urged the government to fulfil its primary responsibility of securing the lives and property of citizens. The removal of fuel subsidies, the floating of the naira, and galloping inflation were highlighted as factors contributing to economic hardship in Nigeria, Leadership reports. The CBCN noted that these policies had significantly affected the prices of essential items, pushing many Nigerians into economic distress. Senator Victor Umeh, who also spoke at the event, urged those in leadership positions to consider the suffering of the people and take urgent action to address their needs. He emphasised the commitment of the National Assembly to support initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of Nigerian citizens. Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama called on Nigerians to foster peaceful coexistence and resist the temptation to engage in violence. He also urged authorities to caution religious leaders against making inflammatory remarks on social media. The Archbishop commended the decision to avoid engaging in a war with neighbouring Niger, citing the history of bloodshed in the region. He called on ECOWAS to work toward peace through dialogue without resorting to violence.