Fresh Update Emerge As Nigerians Await Presidential Election Petition Verdict

Fresh Update Emerge As Nigerians Await Presidential Election Petition Verdict

The imminent judgment is on the horizon. In the forthcoming week, Nigerians will witness the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) concerning the contentious 2023 presidential election…CONTINUE READING

The implications of the court’s decision for Nigeria’s political progress and the consolidation of democracy are significant.

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Regardless of whether President Tinubu emerges victorious against his opponents or faces defeat, the prominence of social media guarantees that this is one of Nigeria’s most closely followed presidential election petition cases in history.

All parties involved in the case have fulfilled their roles; now, the fate of the matter rests in the hands of the court, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani.

“The judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court will either make history or result in disappointment,” remarks Mr. Emmanuel Ogebe, a human rights lawyer based in the United States.

Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, and the Labour Party are contesting the outcome of the February 25 presidential election at the PEPC.

On August 1, the parties involved in the petition were summoned by the five-member panel of justices led by Justice Haruna Tsammani to present their final addresses, a step that precedes the pronouncement of the final judgment.

This stage, known as the closing or final arguments, allows parties to compile all their arguments into a single document. In this instance, as instructed by the panel of justices, it was a 40-page document.

The final address affords counsels the opportunity to emphasize, highlight, and reinforce their key points in succinct terms, focusing on core facts rather than intricate details.

The ambiance around the Court of Appeal premises, where the PEPC convenes, was distinctive on the day of the adoption of the final address. Atiku, who had appeared in court only during its inaugural session on March 8, was present on this day.

Obi had been a consistent presence in court since the beginning. However, there was something exceptional about his entourage on this occasion. Award-winning author Chimamanda Adichie was among the supporters accompanying Obi to court.

This did not go unnoticed, as numerous admirers flocked to the section of the court allocated for the petitioners and their supporters to catch a glimpse of her, greet her, and, naturally, take photos.

Justice Tsammani announced that each counsel would be given 20 minutes to present their address and condense their arguments. It’s noteworthy that the court had alternated the time for the petitioners to be in court, dividing it between morning and afternoon sessions each week.

On this particular day, Atiku and the PDP were assigned the morning session. The three respondents—Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President Bola Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC)—then took their turns adopting their 40-page final addresses.

Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, representing INEC, urged the court to dismiss the petition for lacking merit. Mahmoud asserted that the presidential election was conducted in substantial compliance with all relevant laws.

Mr. Wole Olanipekun, SAN, representing Tinubu, similarly requested the court to reject the petition due to its lack of merit and substance. Olanipekun contended that the petitioners had not presented valid evidence to support their case, and therefore the court could not rule in their favor.