Amidst post-poll litigation, Tinubu jets out to rest in Europe
Information reaching us at The DEFENDER says President-elect from the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has jetted out of Nigeria and headed to Europe, precisely Paris in France and London, United Kingdom to rest himself.
He will also travel further from there to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he will perform the Lesser Hajj, according to a statement credited to his Spokesman, Mr. Tunde Rahman.
“After a very exhaustive campaign and election season, President-elect, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, has travelled abroad to rest and plan his transition programme ahead of May 29, 2023 inauguration,” Rahman said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to him, the President-elect left the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja for Europe Tuesday night.
“The President-elect decided to take a break after the hectic campaign and election season to rest in Paris and London, preparatory to going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (Lesser Hajj) and the Ramadan Fasting that begins Thursday.
“While away, the President-Elect will also use the opportunity to plan his transition programme.”
Rahman said Tinubu is expected back in Nigeria soon.
Amidst litigation
Tinubu’s travel at this time was happening amidst post-election litigation that presidential candidates of four political parties officially filed, on Tuesday, at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja, with separate petitions, seeking the nullification of the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s presidential candidate as winner of the February 25 presidential poll.
The petitioners, seeking nullification of Tinubu’s emergence as President-elect as Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), Solomon Okangbuan of Action Alliance (AA) and Chichi Ojei of Allied People’s Movement (APM).
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party came second with 6,984,520 votes; while Obi came third with 6,101,533 votes.
The petition by Obi and LP, marked CA/PEPC/03/2023, had INEC, Tinubu, his running mate, Shettima Kashim, and the APC as respondents.