Atiku Abubakar Appeals Presidential Election Result to Supreme Court, Challenging Bola Tinubu’s Victory

Atiku Abubakar Appeals Presidential Election Result to Supreme Court, Challenging Bola Tinubu’s Victory

Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has initiated an appeal with the Supreme Court. Abubakar seeks to challenge the Presidential election results which declared President Bola Tinubu the winner. His appeal is an attempt to overturn the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which was delivered in favor of President Tinubu on September 6.

The Tribunal, chaired by Justice Haruna Tsammani, had confirmed Tinubu’s victory in the presidential election that took place on February 25. However, Abubakar and his team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, argue that the Tribunal’s judgment dismissing his petition was unjust and perverse. They claim that the appeal court made a legal error by not nullifying the presidential election due to alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.

Claims of Legal Misinterpretation and Misrepresentation

The lawyers assert that evidence of this non-compliance was presented to the court during the trial. Furthermore, Abubakar alleges that the evidence shows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) violated extant laws and regulations governing the conduct of elections.

Abubakar accuses the Tribunal of grossly misinterpreting and misrepresenting the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022, leading to its unanimous decision in favor of President Tinubu. The appeal accuses both the court and the INEC of failing to comply with the country’s electoral laws, a claim that is set to stir the political landscape.

A Significant Development in Nigeria’s Political Landscape

This legal action by Atiku Abubakar is a significant development in the political landscape, as it challenges the legitimacy of the presidential election and the subsequent verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. The Supreme Court’s decision on this matter will be closely watched, as it will either uphold or question the validity of the presidential election process.

Opponents of Mr. Tinubu have argued that he should have been disqualified from running in the first place due to irregularities with his candidacy. They also claim that Nigeria’s electoral commission had failed to release the results on time, opening the way for potential fraud. However, these petitions were rejected by the judges in Abuja, the capital, for lack of credible evidence.

Opposition Calls for Fresh Election

Atiku Abubakar, in his 42-page notice of appeal, has urged the Supreme Court to rule that declaring Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election is “unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, null, and void and of no effect whatsoever.” He further asserts that Tinubu had not satisfied the legal requirements to win. Abubakar has called on the court to either declare him the winner or direct the election commission to conduct a fresh vote.

The date to hear the appeal is yet to be announced. The Supreme Court, being the highest court in Nigeria, has 60 days to rule on the appeals. Analysts point out that this year’s election is different given the adoption of the newly amended electoral law that introduced the use of technology to make the process more transparent. As such, the outcome of this appeal will be a critical determinant in Nigeria’s democratic trajectory.