Nigeria’s apex court – the Supreme Court, on Thursday affirmed the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which declared All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the winner of the February 25th presidential election.
The court proceeding led by the Presiding Judge, Justice John Okoro, dismissed the petitions filed by candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on the ground that they lacked merit.
The Supreme Court held that the candidate of the PDP failed to prove that he won the election, stating that there was no alternative figure of votes to counter that validly declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Okoro, who read the judgment, said the Supreme Court could not manufacture votes in support of Atiku and PDP.
“On the whole, having resolved all the issues against the appellant, it is my view that there is no merit in the appeal and it is hereby dismissed,” Justice Inyang Okoro said.
The judgment of the court below delivered on September 6th, 2023, affirming the election of the second respondent as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is hereby affirmed.”
Justice Okoro also said the testimonies of Atiku and Obi’s state collation officers are merely hearsay. According to him, it was impossible for the testifiers to be in all parts of their states at the same time to prove their case that there was electoral fraud.
