Nigeria’s Appeal Court Upholds President Tinubu’s Victory, Dismisses Fraud Claims
In a major ruling, Nigeria’s Appeal Court has upheld the narrow victory of President Bola Tinubu in the country’s presidential election held in February. The Labour Party’s challenge, led by Peter Obi, was dismissed by the court as lacking merit, including the allegations of fraud. Following a six-hour verdict, the judges reached their decision.
While the ruling on the challenge by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party is yet to be announced, President Tinubu was inaugurated on May 29th. This verdict comes as a significant relief for Tinubu, who assumed office on the same day the ruling was made. Now, he can focus on potential appeals from his opponents in the Supreme Court.
The presidential election was highly contested, with three formidable candidates vying for the position. Tinubu emerged as the winner, securing 37% of the votes cast, followed by Abubakar with 29% and Obi with 25%.
Prior to the announcement of the ruling, tensions ran high across the country, leading to increased security measures in the capital city of Abuja. Despite warnings against demonstrations, various political groups congregated outside the courthouse to express their support and celebrated through music and dance.
The lead justice, Haruna Tsammani, who read out the verdict, stated that the petitioners failed to provide substantial evidence to support their allegations of corrupt practices and over-voting. Moreover, they were unable to pinpoint specific polling units where they claimed rigging had occurred. The court also emphasized that the electoral commission was not obligated to transmit results electronically and that the failure to upload photographic copies of polling unit results in real-time did not invalidate the election.
This ruling holds great significance for President Tinubu, boosting his confidence as he continues to lead the nation. Despite his absence during the verdict as he participated in the G20 summit in India, Tinubu can now concentrate on governing Nigeria while awaiting the final decision from the Supreme Court. The outcome of this ruling solidifies his position as Nigeria’s leader, allowing him to advance his agenda for the nation.
