Di Supreme Court don uphold di victory of President Bola Tinubu for di 25 February presidential election. Di seven man panel wey Justice Inyang Okoro lead bin declare Bola Ahmed Tinubu as di duly elected president of di Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Justice Okoro wey deliver di judgement tok say, “on di whole, having resolved all di issues against di appellant, na my view say merit no dey for di appeal and e dey hereby dismissed.
“Di judgment of di lower court wey dem deliver on September 6th 2023 wey affirm di election of di second respondent as di duly elected president of di Federal Republic of Nigeria dey hereby affirmed.”
Di highest court for dia ruling dismiss di appeals of di presidential candidate of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and di Labour Party (LP) and dia candidate Peter Obi, e say dia appeal lack merit.
Nigeria Supreme Court on Thursday bin decide whether or not to uphold di election victory of President Bola Tinubu. Im two main challengers, Atiku Abubakar of di People’s Democratic Party and Peter Obi of di Labour Party, bin wan overturn di February presidential election, alleging say mago-mago full inside.
Di Supreme Court bin get 60 days to pass dia judgement – but dem decide to fast track di ruling afta hearing di arguments of di challengers on Monday. Anoda matter wey di kontri highest court bin determine na whether to admit di new evidence of alleged forgery wey Atiku Abubakar carry come.
Di PDP presidential candidate bin present new evidence, saying di certificate wey oga Tinubu present to di Independent National Electoral Commission, Inec, different from di one wey Chicago State University issue. Di oda challenger, Peter Obi say oga Tinubu no qualify to contest di presidential election at di time wey e contest.
Dem insist say make di Supreme Court quash di decision of di tribunal wey uphold Tinubu win. Di Supreme Court follow di pattern pipo don see in previous election — wia dem never cancel any presidential election result since di kontri return to democracy in 1999.
Breakdown of di Supreme Court ruling
Di Supreme Court dismiss di application of di presidential candidate of di Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar to present fresh evidence to support im appeal for di court. Justice Okoro tok say di court lack di jurisdiction to admit di new evidence plus di application dey against di electoral act.
“No amendment fit happun by introducing new facts wey no dey for di election petition as stated in section 132(7) of di Electoral Act” Justice Okoro tok.
Im Lordship say di reason na because dem no submit dis deposition give di lower court wey bin hear di case within di 180 days dem bin get to do so. E say di court no fit activate section 22 of di Supreme Court Act to admit fresh evidence.
”We no fit grant di leave. No paragraph dey for di petition wey show forgery. E go float on di appeal if we admit am.
Atiku bin go di apex court to submit President Tinubu credentials wey e get from Chicago State University to prove say di president forge di documents e submit give di kontri electoral body, Inec before di election.
Unavailability of election results on IReV no be ground to cancel election
Di Supreme court rule say di non-availability of election results on di Inec Result Viewing Portal (IReV) no be ground to cancel di February 2023 presidential election. Justice Inyang Okoro give di ruling for di appeals wey Peter Obi of di Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) file to challenge di Presidential Elections Petitions Court (PEPC) wey affirm say Bola Tinubu win di February 2023 presidential election.
E tok say e dey clear say di petition wey dey seek to nullify di election for noncompliance, no go only dey ready to prove how di non-compliance take affect di outcome of di election, but e must also dey ready to give evidence. Justice Okoro tok say di petitioner no produce any original or certified true copy of di evidence dem want make di court rely on.
E add say di Electoral Act empower di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to determine di best method to use during an election.
“Di IREV portal no be collation system, even though na part of di election process. Failure of di Irev no mean say di collation of electoral result need to stop.”
Di judge hold say di non-availability of di presidential election results on top Irev Portal no affect di outcome of di election
25% of votes for di FCT no dey compulsory
Di Supreme Court bin uphold di ruling of di Appeal Court wey tok say a candidate no need to get at least 25 per cent of votes for di Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before dem fit declare as president of di kontri. Justice Inyang Okoro agree wit di Appeal Court say FCT no get any special status. E add say di constitution na for everyone and no be for some selected pipo.
I accept today judicial victory’ – President Bola Tinubu
For im reaction, President Tinubu say e dey happy wit di judgement and say di court do justice to all di issues wey dem bring for di petitions on merits of di law, without fear or favour.
“While di verdict today don bury di mata ova who truly win di 2023 presidential election and meet di constitutional requirements according to di law, I wan tok again say my faith for our nation judiciary no bin shake at all, not even for one moment, because I know say our courts of law no go fail to deliver justice to all Nigerians for all matters every time. Even wit all di pressure and attempts of intimidation by some political actors, di judiciary show dia commitment to stand by di rule of law for di help and defense of humanity.
Today, dem confam once more say, my party, di governing All Progressives’ Congress, freely and fairly win di popular mandate of Nigerians, wey since give rise to my leadership of dis great nation for dis difficult period of our history as a nation.” E tok. Tinubu also call for all parties to join hands and work togeda.
“All of us na members of one household, and dis moment demand from us to kotinu to work and build our kontri togeda. Di strength of our diversity and di great citizenship wey bind us must now drive us forward to direct di energy of our pipo to build a stronger, united, and more prosperous kontri.
For di days and months ahead, I trust say di spirit of patriotism go show more to support our administration so we go fit improve living conditions of Nigerians. I dey ready to welcome di contributions of all Nigerians to promote and strengthen our collective progress.” E add.
Buhari, Ben Bruce, odas react to judgement
Former President Muhammadu Buhari say di decision to dismiss di appeal from Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), by Supreme Court, na relief to am and majority of di citizens of Nigeria.
“Now wey we don reach di last bus-stop, afta eight months of expensive legal journey, di nation deserve a break. Di opposition fight good fight. Now wey dem do use all dia rights wey di constitution allow, dem suppose take di hand of fellowship wey Tinubu/Shettima don extend give dem.
Make dem allow di goment to run dia administration and make di pipo enjoy di full benefits of di promises wey di All Progressives Congress (APC) make.” Ben Murray- Bruce – Former PDP Senator of Bayelsa state say ‘’di Supreme court now don rule on di appeal wey my party and our presidential candidate carry come dia dormot’’.
I no want tok weda di judgement dey right or wrong, but as a law-abiding and patriotic citizen of Nigeria, we accept say di Supreme Court dey final. So, all Nigerians suppose accept di judgement to settle all di issues and di mata of who win di presidential election wey happun on 25 February, 2023. So, I dey call on Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and dia presidential candidate, Waziri Atiku Abubakar, to accept di judgment so dat dis controversy go end.
I congratulate President Bola Tinubu and di pipo of Nigeria, wey now get clarity for di future.” E tok.
Source: BBC.com
