The impending legal showdown traces its roots back to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) ruling on September 6, where Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election was upheld.
On Thursday, October 26, 2023, the Supreme Court of Nigeria is poised to pronounce its verdict on a pivotal legal battle involving the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar; and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Bola Tinubu. This legal feud stems from the PEPT’s September 6 decision, which validated Bola Tinubu’s triumph in the February 25 presidential poll. Atiku Abubakar and his PDP counterpart have vigorously contested this ruling, leading to a series of appeals that have led to this upcoming judgment.
During the session on Monday, October 23, 2022, the Supreme Court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro and comprising a seven-member panel, announced the reservation of the judgment following the final arguments presented by the legal teams. The court also addressed a motion filed by Atiku Abubakar, seeking to introduce new evidence related to alleged forged documents. Chris Uche, representing Atiku, pressed for the acceptance of this new evidence, contending that it could bolster their appeal and possibly disqualify Bola Tinubu.
Conversely, the legal representatives for the respondents, including Abubakar Mahmoud for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Wole Olanipekun for President Tinubu, and Akin Olujinmi for the APC, vehemently argued for the dismissal of Atiku’s motion and appeal, citing a lack of merit.
