Today marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria's political
landscape as the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) prepares to
deliver its long-awaited judgment. The Labour Party (LP), the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), along with their
respective presidential candidates, have zealously petitioned the tribunal in
their quest to nullify the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023
presidential election.
In a move to uphold transparency and openness, the Chief
Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Umar Bangari, has announced that the judgment
will be broadcast live. Bangari stated, "In a bid to promote transparency
and openness, these judgments will be televised live by interested television
stations for the public to follow." This decision emphasizes the
importance of ensuring that the public is fully informed about this critical
verdict.
It's worth noting that access to the court premises will be
restricted to accredited individuals, including counsel and political representatives.
For the general public, the best way to witness this historic moment is to tune
in to their television sets.
In the February 25 election, President Tinubu secured a
significant victory with 8,794,726 votes, surpassing Atiku Abubakar of the PDP,
who garnered 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), who
received 6,101,533 votes. However, discontent with the election outcome led
five political parties, including the PDP, LP, Action Peoples Party (APP),
Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Action Alliance (AA), to file separate
petitions before the tribunal, seeking to overturn Tinubu's triumph.
As the nation holds its collective breath, today's judgment
will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the future of Nigerian
politics, and it remains a momentous event that will be closely watched by
citizens across the country.
COURT UPDATE:
In a significant ruling, the Presidential Election Petition
Court (PEPT) dismissed the Labor Party (LP) and Peter Obi's petition, which
challenged the requirement of securing 25% of the vote to win the presidential
election. The court emphasized that residents of the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT) do not have any special privileges, as claimed by the petitioners.
Additionally, the court rejected forensic analysis reports
presented by LP's witnesses, citing that they were either created during the
case or by biased parties. The European Union's report on the election was also
rejected because it was not presented by an official of the organization.
The court declared the All Progressives Congress (APC)'s
petition against Peter Obi's LP membership as incompetent, asserting that party
membership is an internal matter. It raised concerns about the non-joinder of
Atiku Abubakar, the second-place candidate, in the petition, as it deemed his
inclusion necessary for an effective determination.
Furthermore, the court criticized LP's allegations of
widespread irregularities, emphasizing the need for specific details and
polling unit particulars when making such claims. It stated that generic
allegations without specific evidence in a presidential election involving
numerous polling units could not succeed.
As the court reconvened to deliver its judgment, members of
the panel of justices and various political figures were present. Vice
President Kashim Shettima and governors from different states were in
attendance, representing the APC, PDP, and LP. Notable personalities like the
Chief of Staff to the President, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu,
and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, were also present, along with
Aisha Yesufu and the Chairman of the Labor Party, Julius Abure.
Simha Asuquo contributes from Lagos, Nigeria
