Politics
Supreme Court Announce Judgment In Obi And Atiku’s Challenge Against Tinubu’s Presidential Victory
The long-standing battle over the outcome of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election is about to reach its climax.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court will deliver a momentous judgment in response to the appeals filed by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on one side, and Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) on the other.
Their appeals challenge the court’s previous decision, which affirmed Bola Tinubu’s victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25th poll.
The Supreme Court has officially informed the legal representatives of all parties involved that it will announce its verdict regarding the contested outcome of the 2023 presidential election on Thursday, October 26th, as reported by The Nation.
In a previous turn of events, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPC) had dismissed the petitions of Atiku and Obi, stating that they lacked merit.
The PEPC confirmed Bola Tinubu’s election as President.
This decision led Atiku and Obi to appeal to the Supreme Court, where their cases were heard by a seven-member panel of justices led by Justice Inyang Okoro.
Atiku’s notice of appeal is founded on 35 substantial grounds.
He asserts that the PEPC’s judgment, delivered by Chairman Justice Haruna Tsammani, was erroneous in terms of legal interpretation.
According to Atiku’s lead counsel, Mr. Chris Uche, SAN, the PEPC’s judgment was a miscarriage of justice.
He contends that the lower court also erred in not annulling the presidential election on February 25th, citing non-compliance with the Electoral Act of 2022.
Atiku maintains that INEC conducted the election based on grave and gross misrepresentation, contrary to the principles of the Electoral Act 2022 and the doctrine of legitimate expectation.
On the other hand, Peter Obi, represented by Mr. Levi Uzoukwu, SAN, also seeks to overturn the PEPC’s decision to dismiss his petition.
Uzoukwu implores the apex court to consider his client’s appeal and grant all the requested reliefs.
In response, the legal representatives of the respondents, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), have called on the court to dismiss the appeals, citing a lack of merit and frivolity.
President Tinubu’s lawyer, Mr. Wole Olanipekun, SAN, characterizes Atiku’s appeal as abusive in nature and urges the court to reject it.
Similarly, Mr. Mahmoud Yakubu, SAN, representing INEC, and Mr. Akin Olujimi, counsel for the APC, have requested that the panel dismiss the appeals on the grounds of merit.
The panel of justices presiding over this significant case includes Justice Uwani Abaji, Justice Lawal Garba, Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, Justice Adamu Jauro, Justice Tijani Abubakar, and Justice Emma Agim.
In this high-stakes legal battle, the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s judgment, which will determine the course of Nigeria’s political landscape.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, says he is willing to step down his presidential ambition in the 2027 elections for a better politician to emerge as the flag bearer of his party.
The lawyer stated this on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.
“Everybody knows that I have an aspiration. I’m working on it but God is the author of tomorrow; we don’t even know who is going to be around in 2027,” Adebayo said.
“It is my prayer to God that if there is a person who God thinks is better than me to fix the problem of Nigeria, my ambition should not stop that person because we want a country that works. That is the kind of thing we are working on at this time.”
Adebayo said the SDP would give Nigerians a candidate that all citizens would be proud of and be ready to give a chance to unseat President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election.
The politician said the SDP won’t divide Nigerians along the delicate lines of religion and ethnicity.
He said, “What used to be an easy discussion – with religion and ethnicity – has become explosive now. So, we will not use the SDP forum to try to bifurcate our people into different zones.
“What we are looking for now is a system where when we make a choice in the SDP, there will be resounding joy outside the SDP and Nigerians will say: ‘Okay, finally, this platform has given the country a chance’.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for publicly acknowledging his efforts and calling him “Mr Infrastructure.”
Speaking to State House correspondents after the 2025 Eid-el-Fitr homage at the Presidential Villa, Wike described the President’s praise as a strong vote of confidence and a motivation to keep delivering results for residents of the FCT.
“I feel very happy that my boss has confidence in me,” Wike said. “If your boss, in public, says you are doing well, that, of course, is an encouragement for you to continue doing the job you’ve been assigned.”
The Minister, who has spearheaded a series of infrastructure and service delivery reforms across Abuja, said he remains committed to meeting the expectations of both the President and the people of the territory.
“For us, we’re happy to be identified in this administration, and we’ll continue to do what Abuja people will be happy with,” he said. “So I’m happy each time Mr. President talks about us and tries to say the little we have done. That means he’s watching, and we will not disappoint him.”
When asked about the next wave of infrastructure projects expected as the Tinubu administration approaches its second anniversary, Wike confirmed that a fresh round of projects is already in the works.
“The committee is working,” he revealed. “You can be assured it can’t be less than what we did last time.”
The Senator who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani has declared interest for re-election in the 2027 general elections.
Shehu Sani made the declaration on Sunday while delivering his Eid-el-Fitr message at his residence in Kaduna.
He said, “any politician who is going to contest election will be dependent on political equation which will determine what position is going to contest. I would say that if the conditions are rights and equations favourable, I will offer myself to contest but specifically on the central senatorial district”.
“If the people of Kaduna central want us to provide our own kind of leadership and representation at the NASS, you should expect me back to Senate in 2027”.
According to him, his ambition is secondary while that of re-electing governor Sani for second term is primary.
He reiterated that his priority is to see governor Uba Sani re-elected in 2027.
“For now, we want to see that incumbent governor, Uba Sani is re-elected. We are going to do it with all our mights and strengths, we know that they are going to be challenges and opposition but we are well prepared for all the forces”.
Shehu Sani however, urged Muslims to pray for peace and unity of Nigeria during the celebration of Eid-el-Fitr.
Sani who also reacted to killing of hunters in Edo State condemned the act and urged security agencies to fish-out the perpetrators.
He said, “If any citizen of this country cannot move from one part of the country to another, then we are not a nation.
“If someone will use one reason or another to take laws into his/her hand then it means there is no government or authority”.
He added that Nigerians who desire good for the country should work for peace and unity for the preservation of our democracy in the phase of challenges that is being experienced by our people, he said.
Sani however, called on government to save Nigeria, saying that there should be respect for fundamental rights and most importantly is respect to right to life, he added.