The Supreme Court is scheduled to give its judgment Thursday on the appeals filed by the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abubakar Atiku, and the Labour Party’s Mr. Peter Obi against the election of President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku and Obi are disputing the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court which dismissed their election petitions contesting the outcome of the February 25th presidential election.
The two candidates have argued that the election was marred by fraud and irregularities by the election commission, INEC. Atiku is also seeking Tinubu’s disqualification after a U.S. university denied issuing the certificate Tinubu submitted to INEC.
Festus Akande, the director of information of the Supreme Court, confirmed this information to the media in Abuja on Wednesday.
The top court reserved its judgment on Monday after hearing the appeals of Obi and Atiku.
”Miscarriage of justice”
Atiku’s notice of appeal, based on 35 grounds, argued that the court of appeal’s presidential election decision was a miscarriage of justice.
He urged the Supreme Court to set aside the PEPC’s findings, as they did not accurately represent the grounds of his petition.
On the other hand, Obi through his lead counsel, Levi Uzoukwu, also demanded that the Supreme Court set aside the PEPC’s judgment.
Uzoukwu urged the court to allow his client’s appeal and grant all the requested prayers.
In response, the counsels for the respondents, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), urged the court to dismiss the appeals, describing them as lacking merit and frivolous.
President Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, requested that Atiku’s appeal be dismissed as abusive.
The panel of seven justices, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, heard both appeals and stated that the date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties.
NAN also reported that although Atiku and Obi’s petitions were consolidated, they were heard separately.
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