In a resounding verdict, the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has upheld the legitimacy of President Bola Tinubu’s election victory. The court firmly rejected the petitions brought forth by Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party and his party, as well as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Presiding over the proceedings, the chairman of the five-member panel of justices, Justice Haruna Tsammani, declared that the petitioners had failed to substantiate their allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. Justice Tsammani maintained that the petitions lacked merit and were consequently dismissed. Additionally, he ruled that all parties involved would bear their respective costs.
In the comprehensive judgement delivered by Justice Haruna Tsammani, he resolved the four key issues raised in favour of the respondents. He pointed out that the petitioners had failed to provide the essential evidence to support their claims. Furthermore, he noted the absence of witnesses from the various polling units who could have corroborated their allegations.
Addressing the matter of lawful and valid votes, the court found that while such allegations were made, no alternative election results were presented. Justice Tsammani emphasised the principle that before a party can accuse another of committing a crime, they must prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt. In this instance, all issues raised were resolved against the petitioners, leaving their case without merit.
With all three petitions found devoid of merit, they have been summarily dismissed. These petitions were filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, and his party, as well as the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his party.
Following the court’s decision, Abubakar and Obi expressed their intention to appeal the judgements, underscoring their commitment to pursuing legal avenues to address their grievances.
