Supreme Court Judgment: Atiku Holds World Press Conference On Monday

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, is scheduled to address the press on Monday, October 30, 2023. This announcement comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent dismissal of Atiku’s appeal and the affirmation of President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February presidential election. A statement from the PDP Publicity Office released on Saturday outlined the purpose of Atiku’s press conference. According to the statement, Atiku Abubakar will focus on addressing crucial national issues of serious importance. The press conference is set to take place at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, with the event commencing at 11 am. The significance of this address and its potential implications for the nation are eagerly anticipated by the public.

Breaking News: Tribunal Upholds Caleb Mutfwang’s Election as Plateau Governor

The Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal, which convened in Jos, North Central Nigeria on Friday, has affirmed the victory of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the Plateau State gubernatorial election. The tribunal, consisting of three members, issued a unanimous judgment on Friday, ruling against the petitioner on the grounds that the petition lacked merit. The petitioner, who is also the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, saw all three of their arguments dismissed by the tribunal. The election results from March 20, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Prof Idris Amali, declared Mutfwang as the winner with 525,299 votes, were upheld. Yilwatda, the APC candidate, secured 481,370 votes. The PDP emerged victorious in 10 local government areas, including Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Lantang North, Langtang South, Riyom, Mikang, Mangu, Jos East, Qua’an Pan, and Pokkos. Meanwhile, the APC garnered the highest number of votes in seven local government areas: Jos East, Kanke, Kanam, Pankshin, Shendam, Wase, and Jos North. This decision by the tribunal solidifies Caleb Mutfwang’s position as the governor of Plateau State, bringing an end to the election dispute. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

Atiku rejects Tribunal verdict, vows to pursue legal appeal

In a significant development following the judgment by the Presidential Election Petition Court on the 2023 presidential election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar held a press conference to share his official reaction. Atiku, reknowned for his history of political legal battles, in a press conference held earlier today, addressed the world regarding Wednesday’s judgment, emphasizing his faith in the judiciary, referring to it as the “sanctuary of justice.” The former Vice President expressed his decision to challenge the outcome of the presidential election following the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate were the winners. “My decision to go to court is anchored in my belief that the court is the sanctuary of justice. The journey of my political career holds so much to the courage and fearless decisions of our judiciary.” “The last presidential election in our country was heavily compromised by INEC and the judgment of the court as rendered by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal yesterday, failed to restore confidence in our dreams of free and fair elections devoid of human manipulations,” Atiku said. According to Atiku, the court has a duty to address the issues arising from the last presidential election and to restore confidence in the electoral process. “My ultimate goal in this pursuit is to ensure that democracy is further strengthened through the principles and processes of fair hearing.” Though the judgment of the court yesterday is respected, it is a judgment that I refuse to accept. I refuse to accept the judgment because I believe that it is bereft of substantial justice,” he added. He expressed concerns about the management of the last presidential election by INEC, stating that it left behind unfavourable precedents and compromises to the transparency achieved through technology. He mentioned that the recent judgment failed to restore confidence in free and fair elections without human manipulations. He reiterated his ultimate goal in pursuing this legal battle, which is to strengthen democracy through the principles and processes of fair hearing. While he respected the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, he refused to accept it, believing it lacked substantial justice. Atiku announced that he had instructed his lawyers to activate his constitutionally guaranteed rights of appeal to the Supreme Court, the higher court. He expressed his conviction that elections in Nigeria should be free from manipulations and should reflect the wishes of the electorate. In conclusion, Atiku urged his supporters to remain steadfast, drawing inspiration from the late Shehu Yar’Adua’s teachings that losing a battle is less important than losing the war. He added that he remains committed to the cause of credible elections in Nigeria and expressed confidence in the ultimate victory of restoring confidence in the electoral system.

Tinubu’s election victory uncontestable, Tribunal rules

*Dismisses all petitions against him The Presidential Election Petition Court on Wednesday dismissed all the three petitions filed before the cit which challenged the February 2023 presidential election that produced Ahmed Bola Tinubu as the winner. The five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsunami unanimously held that the petition by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP)and the Allied Peoples Party (APM) lack merit. Giving the verdict, the court held that the Petitioners failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt that the presidential election was marred by malpractice and irregularities. Consequently, the court held that the return of Ahmed Bola Tinubu as elected President by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is right and subsists.

Presidential Tribunal to announce verdict Sept 6, okays live broadcast

Putting an end to two weeks of suspense, the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has officially confirmed that it will deliver its judgment on Wednesday, September 6. This landmark decision comes after three petitions contesting the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election. The Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Umar Mohammed Bangari, disclosed this important date in Abuja on Monday, putting to rest the speculations that had been swirling around the case. Bangari assured that the court is taking every measure to ensure a smooth and trouble-free delivery of the judgment in response to the three petitions. These petitions were filed by Abubakar Atiku, the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi, his counterpart from the Labour Party; and the Allied People Movement (APM) under the APC umbrella. In an effort to maintain order and security, Bangari mentioned that stringent security measures have been implemented. Access to the courtroom will be restricted, permitting only invited members of political parties and the general public to enter. This approach is intended to prevent overcrowding and potential security breaches. Furthermore, Bangari announced that interested television stations would be allowed to broadcast the proceedings live, without any associated costs to the court. However, to ensure security and crowd control, certain restrictions will be in place around the court premises. A notable decision by the court was to reserve judgment on the petitions submitted by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, scheduling them for delivery on the same day as Peter Obi’s Labour Party petition. Notably, last week, the court refuted the claims that it had set September 16 as the date for the judgment, clarifying the actual date as September 6.

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.