THE Supreme Court, on Thursday, affirmed the election of President Bola Tinubu and dismissed the appeals filed by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP.
The Supreme Court agreed with the September 6 verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, on all counts. The seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Inyang Okoro, in an unanimous judgment, resolved the seven issues for determination in favour of Tinubu.
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The seven justices who took the landmark decision were Inyang Okoro, Uwani Abba-Aji, Lawal Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Abubakar Tijjani and Emmanuel Akomaye Agim
The seven issues the court resolved in favour of Tinubu include:
1 – INEC substantially complied with the Electoral Act 2022 and the constitution in the conduct of the poll.
2 – Election cannot be nullified due to unavailability of results on INEC’s IReV portal.
3 – Failure to secure 25 per cent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja cannot invalidate a winner’s election.
4 – Petitioners did not prove allegations of rigging against Tinubu.
5 – The issue of APC’s double nomination of Vice President Kashim Shettima had earlier been decided by the court on May 26, 2023.
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6 – Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460, 000 drug money was raised when the Respondents had already filed their process.
7 – Petitioners did not provide alternative results to INEC’s figures.
