By KEMI KASUMU
The DEFENDER had reported on Tuesday that the Supreme Court of Nigeria fixed Thursday October 26, 2023 for its rulings on the cases brought before it by the Labour Party and Mr. Peter Obi, its presidential candidate, as well as the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate, against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidebtial candidate, Bola Tinubu.
That appointed day is today.
The main opposition parties are challenging the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), which had upheld the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February presidential election.
Atiku had urged the Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the lower court, in a submission of 35 grounds of appeal.
The former Vice President argued that Tinubu did not win the election, citing non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.
The PDP candidate also faulted the handling of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the electoral umpire failed to upload real results to the results portal.
He alleged corrupt practice, asking the apex court to revisit the case of forfeiture by Tinubu in the United States due to alleged drug trafficking, and the failure to secure 25 percent votes in the Federal Capital Territory, among others.
Atiku, through his counsel, Chris Uche, prayed the apex court to grant the main appeal and nullify the electoral victory of Tinubu.
In their separate responses, INEC, Tinubu, and the APC urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.
The appeal had 60 days to elapse, from September 6, 2023 when the Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the PEPT delivered judgement on three appeals challenging Tinubu’s electoral victory.
The Supreme Court had ear!ier dismissed the appeal of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), one of three parties challenging the outcome of presidential election.
The apex court dismissed the appeal after it was withdrawn by the counsel of the party, Chukwuma Umeh, after getting a hint from the seven-member panel that the case of his client was unnecessary.
APM had also sought to disqualify Tinubu from running for election on the grounds of his running mate, Kashim Shettima, was nominated twice.
Justice Inyang Okoro, who heads the justice panel, said it was “agitating” that Umeh, counsel of the APM, was going ahead in a matter that has no basis, as it amounts to having it upturn its own previous decision if it does grant it.
The court further adds that even if the APM does have the appeal granted, it will be of no use as the party is not seeking to have its candidate sworn as president or for being the winner of the February 25 election.
