In a significant legal move, Peter Obi, the standard bearer of the Labour Party (LP), and his party have filed a joint petition before the presidential election petition tribunal, urging the court to void President Bola Tinubu’s election victory. The petition, dated July 20, challenges the outcome of the February 25 poll, claiming that both Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima were ineligible to contest the election.
Obi and the LP argue that Tinubu’s involvement in a forfeiture proceeding in a US district court should disqualify him from holding the office of president, despite his claim that it was a civil, not criminal, suit. The petitioners maintain that an order of forfeiture, even if not accompanied by a criminal conviction, signifies an offense involving dishonesty or fraud, which should bar Tinubu from aspiring to the presidency.
Furthermore, the petitioners allege that Shettima was guilty of a double nomination, as he was nominated as Tinubu’s vice-presidential candidate while still running as the senatorial candidate for Borno central. Despite a letter of withdrawal, they claim that Shettima’s actions were inconsistent with his nomination.
The petitioners also cite INEC guidelines and the failure to transmit election results in real-time as grounds for challenging the election’s authenticity. They argue that the election violated relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC regulations, calling into question its transparency and fairness.
Moreover, Obi and the LP point out that Tinubu failed to obtain 25 percent of the votes in the federal capital territory (FCT), a requirement for a winning candidate. They argue that this failure should render his election victory invalid.
As the presidential election petition tribunal examines the case, it raises critical questions about the qualifications and eligibility of candidates, the role of INEC, and the integrity of the electoral process. The outcome of this legal battle could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s political landscape and its commitment to upholding democratic principles.
