BREAKING: Fine By US Court Did Not Disqualify Tinubu – Tribunal

BREAKING: Fine By US Court Did Not Disqualify Tinubu – Tribunal

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has affirmed that both President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettma were eligible to participate in the recent presidential election.

The court emphasized that Tinubu’s candidacy was not invalidated by the fine imposed on him by a United States court following a civil forfeiture proceeding.

In its judgment delivered on Wednesday regarding the petition filed by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP), the court ruled that the fine imposed by the US court did not fall under the category of fines for fraud or dishonesty as stipulated in Section 137(1)(d) of the Constitution.

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Furthermore, the court stated that the petitioners failed to substantiate their claim that Tinubu was disqualified based on the US court’s decision. It noted that Obi and the LP did not adhere to the requirements outlined in Section 249(1) and (2) of the Evidence Act for proving convictions outside the country.

The court also clarified that the US court case in question pertained to a civil matter, not a criminal one. Even if it were a criminal case, the court pointed out that Section 137(1)(e) of the Constitution specifies that a conviction or fine must occur within a 10-year period for disqualification to apply.

Additionally, the court reaffirmed its earlier decision in the petition brought by the APM, asserting that Shettima’s dual nomination did not disqualify him from contesting the election.