JUST IN: Atiku, Obi Fail Woefully As Tribunal Affirms Tinubu’s Election As President

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has dismissed the three petitions brought against the election of President Bola Tinubu.

The petitions were brought by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP); and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Justice Haruna Tsammani, in the lead judgment, affirmed the declaration and return of Tinubu as the winner of the election having scored the highest lawful votes.

He held that none of the three sets of petitioners was able to prove their allegations as contained in the petitions

Two other members of the court’s five-member panel, Justices Stephen Adah and Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf have also agreed with the lead judgment.

On whether the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was right to return Tinubu as the duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast in the February 25, 2023 poll, the Tribunal held that the petitioner — the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar —  did not successfully prove the allegations against this ground and indeed all the grounds in their petition.

Justice Haruna Tsammani, leader of the five-man panel, said, “This petition accordingly lacks merit. I affirm the return of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The parties are to bear their cost.”

The court also expunged 37 exhibits tendered by the witnesses from the court’s records.

On the issue of dumping of documents on the court, he held that this would only go to the weight to be attached to such evidence.

On the issue of Tinubu’s conviction and the issue of his dual citizenship, the Tribunal again held like it earlier did that this issues were incompetent and liable to be struck out and same were indeed struck out.