According to Atiku Abubakar, the Nigerian presidential candidate who failed in his attempt to overturn the election results last week, his country is now “doomed.”

For the first time since the end of military rule in 1999, there were three strong candidates. With 37% of votes cast, Bola Tinubu won against Mr Abubakar with 29% and Peter Obi with 25%.

He was scathing in his assessment of the panel of seven judges after they rejected his request for new evidence.

Following the ruling, “there is really no hope for the democracy and electoral politics of the country”.

However, Mr Abubakar is not giving up. As long as I breathe, he said, I will continue to work with other Nigerians to deepen democracy.

President Tinubu said last week that the court has dealt fairly with all matters submitted for consideration.

With today’s profound judgment, our electoral jurisprudence and constitutional democracy are further consolidated.”