Prominent figures from various political parties, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, top Labour Party members, governors, and influential leaders from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have converged at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) in anticipation of the court’s verdict.
The APC governors in attendance include Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe. Additionally, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu are also present.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State represents the PDP dignitaries at the event.
Furthermore, key figures from the Labour Party, including Julius Abure and presidential campaign spokesman Yunusa Tanko, are present for the verdict.
Security measures are notably stringent, with security personnel deployed around the Appeal Court’s premises since early morning, ensuring strategic positioning of their vehicles. The atmosphere is serene, with journalists and others making final preparations.
The PEPT, consisting of five judges in Abuja, has been handling a series of lawsuits filed by the opposition parties, PDP and Labour Party, alleging fraud and irregularities in the presidential election.
The closely contested election, held on February 25, saw former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu secure victory with 37 percent of the votes, surpassing Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Despite the outcome, legal experts anticipate that this may not mark the end of the legal disputes, as parties can appeal to the Supreme Court for a final verdict. Notably, no court has overturned a presidential vote in Nigeria since its return to democracy in 1999.
Tinubu’s administration remains confident, emphasizing the integrity of the judiciary and the belief that the election mandate from Nigerians will stand.
Currently, Tinubu is participating in the G20 summit in India, seeking foreign investment to bolster Africa’s largest economy.
With the nation and international observers eagerly waiting, the Presidential Election Petitions Court’s judgment will finally be revealed today, drawing attention from various regions of Nigeria.
Background:
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported over 24 million valid votes cast in the election. Bola Tinubu of the APC emerged as the winner with 8,794,726 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the PDP secured 6,984,520 votes. Peter Obi of the Labour Party garnered 6,101,533 votes.
Tinubu and Atiku each won 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states, while Obi secured 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) claimed victory in Kano with 1,496,687 votes.
Despite INEC declaring Tinubu the winner on March 1, 2023, Atiku and Obi, along with their supporters, rejected the outcome, citing anomalies, including the failure of the Results Viewing Portal to upload results electronically.
Legal Action:
Atiku’s PDP, Obi’s LP, and three other dissatisfied parties filed separate petitions at the Presidential Election Petitions Court, seeking to annul Tinubu’s victory. Two parties later withdrew their petitions.
During the Tribunal’s proceedings, Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima, assumed their roles as President and Vice President on May 29, 2023.
The petitioners argued that Tinubu and Shettima were ineligible to contest due to various claims, including Tinubu’s alleged failure to secure 25 percent of votes in the FCT, drug trafficking indictments, and alleged forged academic certificates.
Tinubu’s legal team countered these claims, asserting that he won the election fairly and that INEC correctly declared him the President-Elect.
After months of legal proceedings, a five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani reserved judgment on August 1, 2023. On September 4, 2023, the Court of Appeal Registrar, Umar Bangari, announced that the Tribunal would deliver its judgments on the cases before it. Nigerians are now anxiously awaiting the court’s decision to determine the true winner of the election.
