THE Court of Appeal in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday dismissed a suit seeking to disqualify Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar from the 2023 presidential race.
The suit was filed by Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, a former minister of state for Education, and the Rights for All International, a non-governmental organisation.
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The ex-minster, alongside the NGO, had in December 2022 asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to annul the processes that produced both candidates, alleging that they paid delegates to vote to ensure they emerge flagbearers of their parties.
But the court struck out the suit, saying it had no merit.
Dissatisfied, Nwajiuba appealed the High Court judgment.
The duo asked the Appeal Court to cancel the processes that produced Tinubu and Abubakar as presidential candidates for their political parties.
The appellate court struck out the suit also based on a preliminary objection filed by counsel to the APC, Babatunde Oganla.
The court awarded the sum of N100,000 against the appellants, in favour of Tinubu and Atiku.
The court stated, “The appeal is lacking in merit, and the appellant only sought to revive the dissolved NGO through the back door. The counsel to the appellant, who is also a trustee of the NGO, should live with the same in sober reflections.
“The appellant is not clothed with locus, as can be gleaned from Section 285(14) a, b, and c of the 1999 constitution.
“The appellant is a busybody and a meddlesome interloper.”
Beloved John is an investigative reporter with International Centre for Investigative Reporting.
You can reach her via: [email protected]