EXCLUSIVE: Supreme Court confirms President Tinubu, Says Appeal Against Him “Lacks Merit”
By The Evangelist News edition, Thursday, October 26, 2023. admin.
Not entirely surprisingly, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has today upheld President Bola Tinubu’s election win, bringing to an end a legal challenge brought by his two main rivals, who argued that his victory was marred by irregularities.
So, the apex court of the land has given the 71-year-old Tinubu a clear mandate to govern Africa’s most populous nation, which is grappling with double-digit inflation, foreign currency shortages and a weakening Naira, widespread insecurity and crude oil theft.
The judgment by seven Supreme Court justices, which is final, follows a pattern seen in previous presidential elections that have been challenged in court.
None of the attempts to overturn results through the courts has ever been successful.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) came second and third, respectively, in the February vote, but both rejected the result and called for Tinubu’s win to be annulled.
The two opposition leaders had appealed a September 6, 2023 tribunal judgment that endorsed Tinubu’s victory.
“There is no merit in this appeal, and it is hereby dismissed,” said Akwa Ibom State-born Supreme Court judge John Inyang Okoro, who chaired the seven-member apex court appeal panel.
