In a marathon 12-hour judgment session held on Wednesday, the Presidential Election Petitions Court made a decisive ruling, dismissing the petitions brought forth by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Atiku Abubakar, and the Labour Party (LP) with its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
These petitions had challenged the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the February 25, 2023 poll.
The five-member panel, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, not only rejected the consolidated petitions of the PDP, APM, and LP but also unequivocally upheld Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s election as the legitimate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Justice Tsammani stated, “This petition accordingly lacks merit. I affirm the return of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The parties are to bear their cost.”
The highly anticipated judgment, broadcast live from 9 am to just past 9 pm, took place at the Court of Appeal in Abuja. Dignitaries, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima of the APC, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and LP’s Julius Abure, attended the proceedings.
Notably absent from the courtroom on this day were Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Bola Tinubu, the latter being away in India for the G-20 summit.
The Tribunal first issued its verdict on the APM’s petition, followed by rulings on the LP and PDP petitions.
