PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has requested the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal filed by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate at the February 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, against his victory at the poll.
Tinubu characterised the appeal as insulting and pleaded for its rejection.
According to the President, Atiku and his party failed to substantiate their claims and representations to the tribunal.
Tinubu claimed that the tribunal made the right decision by ruling in his favour as the election winner.
He urged the court to reject the appeal, claiming it lacked merit and was not genuine.
Atiku and the PDP had filed a petition against the election result in which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner.
The petitioners claimed that, among other things, the election was tainted by irregularities and severe violations of the Electoral Act.
Additionally, they claimed that Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima, was ineligible to run, and consequently, the votes cast for them were invalid.
However, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal determined in its ruling on September 6 that Atiku failed to convince it with its claims.
On September 18, 2023, the former Vice-President appealed the ruling at the Supreme Court.
The appellants claimed that the tribunal’s ruling contained “grave errors and gross misrepresentation” that led to a miscarriage of justice in their 35-ground notice of appeal.
As a result, the appellants are asking the Supreme Court to annul the tribunal’s position.
In his bid to void Tinubu’s election, Atiku has petitioned the Supreme Court for permission to present some related documents from Chicago State University (CSU) as new proof supporting his appeal.
Atiku predicated his request to present new evidence on Order 2, Rule 12(1) of the Supreme Court Rules from 1985 and Section 137(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.
On October 5, Atiku submitted the application through his legal team, led by Chris Uche.
He urged the Supreme Court to grant him leave to produce and to receive “fresh and additional evidence” in documents, including a deposition under oath from a representative of CSU regarding Tinubu’s academic records.
Tinubu presented his CSU certificate to INEC as a contender for the 2023 presidential election, but Atiku had questioned its validity.
He claimed that the document Tinubu submitted to the election umpire was forged.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance