‘You’re a meddlesome interloper’ — supreme court reprimands PDP over ‘double nomination’ suit

The supreme court on Friday, described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a “meddlesome interloper” over the suit seeking the disqualification of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.

The PDP had alleged that Shettima was still the Borno central senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on July 14 when he accepted the nomination for vice-presidential candidate.

The party claimed that the nomination of Shettima as the vice-presidential candidate of the APC was in breach of the provisions of sections 29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2) of the Electoral Act.

Responding to PDP’s argument, the respondents said the suit was statute-barred, having been filed 15 days after the cause of action instead of 14 days as required by law.

They also averred that the issue being contested is an internal party affair and that the appellants lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.

Delivering judgement on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court agreed that the PDP lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.

The supreme court said the PDP is like a “nosy busybody” that is peeping into the affairs of its neighbours.

The apex court added that the PDP failed to show the potential harm it suffered or stands to suffer from the action of the respondents.

Adamu Jauro, a member of the panel who delivered the lead judgment, said: “It is therefore abundantly clear that a political party that files a suit challenging the nomination of a candidate of another political party would be a nosy busybody, a meddlesome interloper, peeping into the affairs of his neighbour without any backing.

“The appellants by its originating summons and affidavits in support failed to disclose any nexus between the actions of the respondents and the suit.

“And it has failed to show which harm it suffered or that it stands to potentially suffer from the action of the respondents.

“In fact, no dispute has been shown to exist between the appellants and the respondents.

“I’m in complete agreement with the lower court that the appellant lacked locus standi to institute and maintain this action at the trial court.”

Jauro added that the case has been a waste of precious time.

“It is frivolous and bound to fail and is fraught with manifest malady. It has been a waste of precious time and judicial energy.

“Counsel should do better to advise their clients to desist from such frivolous matters.

“The appeal is grossly lacking in merit and it is hereby dismissed.”

The supreme court also awarded the sum of N2 million against PDP and in favour of the respondents–Tinubu, Shettima and APC.