Supreme Court Sets To Hear Atiku’s Appeal Against Tinubu October 23

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for Monday, October 23, regarding the appeal filed by Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, against the election of President Bola Tinubu. It’s worth noting that on September 19, the PDP candidate lodged a 35-ground appeal challenging the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPC) that upheld Tinubu’s victory. Earlier, a five-member panel led by Justice Hassan Tsammani had, on September 6, dismissed the petitions filed by Atiku and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, citing a lack of merit. Additionally, the former Vice President sought the Supreme Court’s permission to submit fresh evidence obtained from Chicago State University, furthering his claims of discrepancies and forgery in President Tinubu’s academic records. Atiku maintains his stance, urging the apex court to remove Bola Tinubu from office.

Retired Justice Mojeed Owoade Advocates Single Adjudication For Election Petitions

A retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, Professor Mojeed Owoade, has proposed the adoption of a one-time final adjudication system for election petitions in Nigeria. Professor Owoade emphasized the need for structural and procedural reforms to the Constitution and Electoral Laws, which would not only reduce the burden on the courts but also save costs and enhance the quality of resolving election disputes. He called for the termination of election petitions at the Tribunal level once they are adjudicated, with serving Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and Judges of High Courts having sole responsibility for handling election petition matters. During the National Convergence on Citizens’ Led Engagement on Judicial Accountability in Post Election Justice Delivery, organized by the civil society organization ActionAid, Professor Owoade presented his recommendations: “For Presidential Election Petitions, a 7-member panel consisting of three serving Justices of the Supreme Court, two Justices of the Court of Appeal, and two High Court Judges. “Governorship Election Petitions should be resolved by a 5-member panel of judicial officers, including two Supreme Court Justices, two Court of Appeal Justices, and a High Court Judge. “Senate petitions should be handled by a panel comprising three Justices of the Court of Appeal and two High Court Judges. “House of Representatives election petitions should be adjudicated by a panel of two Court of Appeal Justices and three High Court Judges.” Professor Owoade’s recommendations include the elimination of all systems of appeals in the adjudication of pre-election and election matters. He also added that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the President of the Court of Appeal, in consultation with three to four serving Chief Judges, should appoint members of Election Petition Tribunals. He highlighted the importance of retaining serving judicial officers rather than retired ones to ensure continued oversight by the National Judicial Council and maintain fairness and efficiency in election adjudication. Professor Owoade stressed that the principle of free and fair elections is closely tied to a non-partisan and truly independent judiciary with individuals of integrity and expertise to uphold the rule of law.

Tinubu Tells Supreme Court To Dismiss Atiku’s Appeal 

President Bola Tinubu, who contested as the presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, has officially requested the Supreme Court to reject the appeal filed by Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition party.  Tinubu’s response, which was presented by his legal team, comes in response to Atiku’s notice of appeal. This move follows the prior judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on September 6, which dismissed Atiku’s petition challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.  The tribunal cited Atiku’s failure to substantiate the claims in his petition and concluded that his case lacked merit. Atiku subsequently filed a notice of appeal with 35 grounds before the Supreme Court on September 18, seeking to have the tribunal’s findings and conclusions overturned.  He argued that the tribunal had made “grave errors and gross misrepresentations” that resulted in a miscarriage of justice. In his response, President Tinubu maintained that the presidential election petition tribunal had rightfully reached its verdict and upheld his election. He emphasized that the appellants had failed to substantiate their allegations and provide any compelling reason for the apex court to overturn the lower court’s findings. Tinubu also characterized Atiku’s appeal as “abusive in nature” and urged the Supreme Court to dismiss it.  He stated that the appeal lacked merit and bona fide and urged the court to affirm the lower court’s decision.  The legal battle continues as both parties await the Supreme Court’s decision.

Breaking News: Fire Engulfs Supreme Court Complex

In a shocking development, a section of the Supreme Court complex, located in the heart of the Three Arms Zone in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been engulfed in flames. Reports, although unconfirmed at this time, suggest that the offices of the three Justices of the Court have been affected by the fire. The incident has thrown a shroud of uncertainty over the nation, as the perpetrators and the Justices directly impacted by the attack remain unknown. This unfortunate event has occurred at a particularly sensitive juncture, with all eyes fixed on the Supreme Court due to its pivotal role in handling presidential election petitions. The news has left Nigerians deeply concerned. Further details on this developing situation will be provided shortly as the investigation unfolds. More details shortly…

Atiku Approaches Supreme Court, Seeks Nullification Of Tribunal Verdict

Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has escalated his legal battle by approaching the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court. The move comes after the petition court, on September 6, upheld the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in the 2023 presidential election. Atiku’s Notice of Appeal, consisting of 35 grounds, asserts that the tribunal’s judgment, delivered by Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, was marred by serious errors and a miscarriage of justice. These errors and mis-judgments, according to Atiku’s lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, warrant the Supreme Court’s intervention to rectify the situation. The Notice of Appeal seeks to have the Supreme Court set aside the entire findings and conclusions of the tribunal, as Atiku believes they do not accurately represent the substance of his petition. One of the key arguments put forth by the former Vice President is that the Tribunal erred in law by failing to nullify the presidential election conducted on February 25, 2023. This non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, is alleged to be rooted in INEC’s conduct of the election, which, according to evidence presented to the tribunal, was characterized by grave and gross misrepresentation. This misrepresentation is deemed contrary to the principles outlined in the Electoral Act 2022 and runs counter to the “doctrine of legitimate expectation.” Atiku’s appeal to the Supreme Court signals his determination to exhaust all legal avenues available to challenge the tribunal’s judgment and contest the declaration of Tinubu as President by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Presidential Tribunal: Atiku, Obi, Tinubu to present final addresses

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja is nearing the conclusion of its proceedings, with Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) set to adopt their final written addresses on Tuesday. These addresses precede the judgment date for all petitions related to the February 25 presidential election, including the challenge against President Bola Tinubu’s victory. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election, with 8,794,726 votes, defeating Atiku Abubakar who secured 6,984,520 votes and Mr. Obi with 6,101,533 votes. Disputing the results, both Atiku and Obi filed separate petitions, claiming victory and challenging Tinubu’s eligibility to run for the presidency. The petitioners seek to have the court declare that President Tinubu did not obtain the majority of lawful votes and to withdraw his Certificate of Return. They are also calling for a fresh presidential election, excluding Tinubu, whom they contend was ineligible to participate in the first place. Obi presented 13 witnesses and various documentary exhibits, while Atiku produced 27 witnesses and additional evidence before the court. INEC and President Tinubu each had one witness in their defense, and the APC did not produce any witnesses. The Respondents, including INEC, President Tinubu, and APC, have all submitted written addresses urging the court to dismiss the petitions for lack of merit. They argue that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations beyond reasonable doubt, as required by the law. Atiku’s joint petition with the PDP (marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023) asserts that Tinubu’s declaration as the winner of the presidential election was invalid due to non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, and contends that he was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes. The proceedings continue as the nation awaits the judgment that will determine the outcome of the closely contested presidential election.