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The seven-member panel of the Supreme Court has reserved till a date to be announced to parties involved, date to deliver judgment on the appeal by Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party seeking to dismiss the decision of the Election Court that affirmed Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s elected president.
The court also reserved judgement in the appeal that was filed by the Labour Party (LP), while dismissing the appeal by the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
The date when the judgement will be given will be communicated to the parties involved.
The apex court reserved judgment after counsels of Atiku, electoral body, INEC, Tinubu and the All-Progressives Congress APC adopted their briefs of arguments.
Atiku Abubakar had approached the Supreme Court in his quest to have it set aside the decision of the lower court, depending on 35 grounds for seeking this.
The former Vice President insists Mr Tinubu didn’t win the election, citing non-compliance with the electoral act by failing to upload real results to INEC portal, corrupt practice, forfeiture due to alleged drug trafficking, failing to secure 25% votes in the FCT, among others.
Atiku, through his counsel, Chris Uche, prayed the apex court to grant the main appeal and nullify the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu.
In their separate response, electoral body, INEC, Bola Tinubu, and the APC urged the Court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.
This particular appeal is supposed to lapse within 60 days from September 6, 2023 when the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the Presidential Election Petition Court delivered judgment on three appeals challenging President Bola Tinubu’s electoral victory.
However, the Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), one of three parties challenging the outcome of Nigeria’s Presidential Election in which Bola Tinubu of the APC was declared winner by Electoral body INEC.
The apex court dismissed the appeal after it was withdrawn by the counsel of the party, a senior lawyer, Chukwuma Umeh, after getting a hint from the seven-member panel that the case of his client was unnecessary.
APM sought to disqualify Bola Tinubu from running for election on grounds of his then running mate, Kashim Shettima, was nominated twice.
It noted that the appeal amounted to seeking to have it overrule itself, having previously decided on the same case of double nomination brought by the People’s Democratic Party PDP.
Justice Inyang Okoro, who heads the justice panel said it was “agitating” that Mr Umeh, counsel of the APM was going ahead in a matter that has no basis, as it amounts to having it upturn its own previous decision if it does grant it.
The court further adds that even if the APM does have the appeal granted, it will be of no use as the party isn’t seeking to have its candidate sworn as president or for being the winner of the February 25 Presidential Election.
Chukwuma Umeh, subsequently withdrew the appeal, and was thereby dismissed.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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