Atiku, Obi Appeals Dismissed By Court, Tinubu Affirmed President

The apex court in its ruling dismissed the appeals by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart Peter Obi.

The Supreme Court has upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.

In Thursday’s ruling, the apex court dismissed the appeals by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

Regarding allegations of election law violations, fraud, and Tinubu’s ineligibility to run for president, the panel of seven judges dismissed the opposition’s appeals as without merit.

The apex court also dismissed all the grounds of appeal of Atiku and PDP on qualification, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, the 25% votes in FCT, and electoral malpractices.

In dismissing Atiku’s appeal Justice Inyang Okoro said, “On the whole, having resolved all the issues against the appellant, it is my view that there is no merit in the appeal and it is hereby dismissed.” 

“The judgment of the court below delivered on September 6th, 2023 affirming the election of the second respondent as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is hereby affirmed.”

The court decided on  Obi’s plea said the matter had already been addressed in its May 26 order while addressing the LP presidential candidate about Vice President Kashim Shettima’s double candidacy.

“As for issue Number 4 which has to do with double nomination which was not in Atiku’s appeal, it is the view of this court that this issue having been dealt with by this court, this court cannot allow the matter to be re-litigated in this very court. There must be an end to litigation,” Justice Okoro held.

“For us to sit down now and talk about when this man resigned or did not resign when they did fresh primaries to replace him which we have done before, we are not going to do this again.

“This matter ought not to have come in. When this matter was pending at the trial court, this court delivered that judgment. If you read the judgment of the lower court, they mentioned that the Supreme Court has settled this matter and that should have been the end.

“You now bring this issue of double nomination for us to sit on it and write another judgment, this is not how it should be. This appeal lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.”