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.
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.
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.
