APC’s petition challenging Obi’s LP membership incompetent- Tribunal

The Presidential Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday in its final ruling, declared APC suit challenging Peter Obi as a bona fide member of the Labour Party as incompetent. Justice Abba declared that Obi emerging as the flagbearer of the Labour Party was an internal affair and lacks competence in the suit.   The Tribunal also touched on the issue of non-joinder of Atiku Abubakar who came second and wondered how Obi & LP’s petition could be effectively determined without joining the candidate who placed second in the polls.

BREAKING: Court strikes out APM’s double nomination suit against Shettima, Tinubu

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja has struck out the suit filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) accusing Vice-President Kashim Shettima of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of double nomination in the 2023 general elections.   The Chairman of the panel, Justice Haruna Tsammani, who read the lead judgement, held that an invalid nomination or double nomination did not qualify as a ground for disqualification in respect of the presidential election as provided in sections 131 and 137 of the constitution. He also held that Mr Ibrahim Masari, who was nominated as a placeholder by the APC (for the position of the Vice President), was not a necessary party to the petition because he was neither a candidate nor did he win the election. He also held that the question as to the qualification or not of any candidate for any election is a pre-election matter which is outside the jurisdiction of the PEPC. In addition, he ruled that the matter of  qualifications of candidates to contest an election is entirely an internal party matter which non-members have no locus standi to challenge.