S’ Court affirms Tinubu’s election as President

The Supreme Court has affirmed the victory of president Bola Tinubu as the duly elected candidate in the February 25 presidential election.
Delivering judgment, the 7- Man Panel of Justices led by Justice Inyang Okoro held that the failure by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically did not affect the outcome of the election and could not warrant the nullification of the result of the presidential election.
Justice Inyang Okoro, made the pronouncement on the appeal by the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and that of the candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, seeking to nullify the February 25, presidential election of President Bola Tinubu.
The apex court unanimously held that Atiku did not produce alternative results of the presidential election that showed he won majority number of votes cast to rebuff the one declared by INEC.
Justice Inyang Okoro also dismissed the issue of the 25% requirement for Abuja on the grounds that it violated the fundamental principle of the constitution.
S’ Court dismisses Atiku’s motion for new evidence
The Supreme Court has dismissed the motion filed by former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku had sought leave of the court to file fresh evidence in his appeal against the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.
In his motion, Atiku requested the apex court to grant him permission to introduce additional evidence in the form of depositions on oath from the Chicago State University.
These depositions aimed to disclaim the certificate presented by President Bola Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The 7-Man Panel of Justices, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, who ruled on the motion, held that the apex court lacked jurisdiction to allow the filing of fresh evidence that was not previously pleaded at the Presidential Election Petitions Court.
Justice Okoro further stated that Atiku should have sought an amendment of his pleadings and an extension of time, as the 180-day period allowed by the Constitution had already elapsed since the 17th of last month.
The justices are still deliberating on the main appeals challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.
Security beefed up ahead of Supreme Court ruling
Earlier, there was heavy presence of security personnel around the Supreme Court, venue of the final judgment on the 2023 presidential election.
From the Supreme Court junction down to the main auditorium, combined security personnel, including the Police and the Department of State Security (DSS), manned the sections and only allowed duly accredited personalities and journalists entrance into the courtroom.
Dignitaries such as the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, President Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, the Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, the Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, have arrived at the apex court.



Justice Inyang Okoro and six others had on Monday reserved judgment in Alhaji Atiku and Obi’s motion against Tinubu in the February 25 election.
Other justices on the seven-man panel are Uwani Abaji, Lawal Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Tijani Abubakar, and Emma Agim.
Reporting by Ifeoma Nwovu