Supreme court to deliver judgment in Atiku, Obi’s appeals against Tinubu Thursday

The supreme court has fixed Thursday October 26 to deliver judgment in the appeals seeking to void the election of President Bola Tinubu.

Festus Akande, the apex court’s spokesperson, confirmed the development to TheCable.

Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), are seeking to overturn the judgment of the presidential election petition tribunal which affirmed Tinubu’s election as president.

One of the issues raised by Obi is that Tinubu failed to secure 25 percent of votes cast in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Obi is also contending that Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 in the US disqualifies him from contesting for president.

Both candidates also challenged the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically.

Obi and LP’s 73-page notice of appeal is premised on 51 grounds.

In the notice of appeal, Obi and his party insisted that the tribunal erred in its findings that Tinubu won the election by the majority of lawful votes cast.

They also faulted the panel for striking out several paragraphs in their petitions.

The appellants said the panel was wrong to have held that they failed to prove their allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

Consequently, they are praying the supreme court to “set aside the perverse judgment of the court below” and “grant the reliefs sought in the petition either in the main or in the alternative”.

TINUBU’S ACADEMIC RECORDS

Abubakar on the other hand is also challenging Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the election.

In the 35 grounds notice of appeal, the appellants submitted that the tribunal’s findings were done with “grave errors and gross misrepresentation” which resulted in a miscarriage of justice.

In a separate application, Abubakar is appealing to the court to grant him leave to file fresh evidence which he obtained from the Chicago State University (CSU) against Tinubu.

Abubakar had alleged that Tinubu’s academic records were fraught with discrepancies and forgeries.

At the court session on Monday, Chris Uche, counsel to Abubakar and the PDP, submitted that the issue involving Tinubu’s certificate is a “weighty, grave and constitutional” one, which the supreme court should admit as fresh evidence against President Tinubu.

Uche said the supreme court “has a duty” to look into the new evidence submitted and reach a decision by avoiding the issue of technicality.

After hearing both appeals on Monday, a seven-member panel of the apex court reserved judgment.