BREAKING: Tribunal affirms Tinubu as winner of 2023 Presidential election

Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) petitions seeking to void Mr. Tinubu’s victory, have been adjudicated by a panel of appeal court justices.

In a courtroom jam-packed with political heavyweights, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Festus Keyamo, Femi Gbajabiamila, and opposition governors like Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, the tribunal, presided over by Haruna Tsammani, handed down its decision on Wednesday evening.

Before the judgement at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in the city center, security throughout the Nigerian capital Abuja was bolstered.

After the court ruled that Mr. Shettima’s nomination was lawful, he and Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), celebrated. Mr. Shettima’s candidacy had been contested as invalid by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Mr. Tinubu and petitioners Messrs. Obi and Atiku, whose locations were not immediately known, were both conspicuously absent from court due to official business in India.

Overvoting, the requirement of 25% of the vote in the FCT, the invalid nomination of Mr. Shettima as Mr. Tinubu’s running mate, charges of perjury based on Mr. Tinubu’s false statement made under oath that he did not seek a foreign citizenship, and other allegations were some of the complaints made.

The judges claimed they were unable to identify any proof of flagrant vote tampering or violation of electoral laws. Additionally, they removed any proof that Mr. Tinubu had submitted an invalid running mate nomination and had lied to the electoral commission due to improper filing, according to them.

Petitioners intend to take the case to the Supreme Court, which will consider the tribunal’s decision and render a final decision.