President Bola Tinubu has issued a warning against nullifying the February 25 election that declared him as president, arguing that such a move could lead to absurdity, chaos, anarchy, and alter the legislature’s intention. Tinubu made these assertions in his final written address presented to the Presidential Election Petition Court (PREPEC) in response to the two petitions filed by candidates of the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), seeking the nullification of his victory.
According to Tinubu’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, the petitions are novel and not familiar with the country’s electoral laws. The petitioners’ main grievances are the alleged non-compliance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with guidelines and regulations for the 2023 general elections, and the claim that Tinubu did not score the required 25% of votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The petitioners also raised concerns over an alleged US District Court judgment ordering Tinubu’s forfeiture of funds suspected to be proceeds of drug trafficking and the alleged double nomination of Shettima.
Tinubu and his legal team have called for the dismissal of the petitions, arguing that they are not in line with the country’s electoral laws. They state that the election was peacefully conducted, and any unuploaded results to the INEC Election Result Viewing (IREV) Portal do not invalidate the overall outcome. Additionally, they refute the claim that Tinubu did not secure 25% of the votes in the FCT, as mandated by the Constitution.
The Presidential Election Petition Court has given both the petitioners and respondents time to present their final written addresses, and a ruling is expected in due course.
