ATIKU AND OBI CANNOT PROVE ALLEGATIONS BEYOUND REASONABLE DOUBT: PEPC RULING. 07-09-23
By: Sadiq Aminu The Presidential Election Petition Court is delivering it’s judgement in Abuja on the petitions brought against the election of President Bola Tinubu and vice president Kashim Shettima in February 25th polls.
So far, in a verdict being presided over by justice Haruna Tsamani the tribunal has held that the petitioners, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Perter Obi have not been able to prove their allegations of non compliance with the electoral laws against the election.
Allegations that President Tinubu was not academically Qualified to Contest For Presidency and that he has drug Case hanging over him in the United States were also dismissed for lacking in merit as it was a civil forfeiture procedure.
On the claim that president Tinubu did not score 25% In the FCT and so should not have been declared president, the court ruled that the spirit and letters of the law does not give FCT a special status, explaining that there was equality amongst all Nigerian citizens.
The justices ruled that there was nothing in the electoral act that made it mandatory for INEC to transmit results electronically as claimed by the petitioners.
The court also ruled that evidences by Mr. Peter Obi didn’t prove that he Won The Presidential Election and that he could not substantiate with specific details at poling units, his claims of irregularities, suppression of votes and corrupt practices especially in Rivers, Benue, Lagos, Taraba, Osun states.
The allegation of double nomination brought against Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima by the Allied Peoples Movement APM was not upheld as he was said to have complied with the provisions of the electoral act.
Other justices delivering the judgement include Stephen Adah, Mistura Bolaji- Yusuf, Biolokumo Ugo and Justice Aba Mohammed.