Jane Smith
Wed, Sep 6, 2023 11:10 PMAppeals court rejects petitions challenging Nigerian president's victory
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An appeals court in Nigeria has rejected two of the three petitions challenging the legitimacy of President Bola Tinubu's victory in the February election. The opposition parties argued that the election results were illegally announced and that Tinubu was not qualified to run for president. The court ruling has put Africa's most populous country on edge, with possible protests looming if the court rules in favor of Tinubu.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, ruled that the third-place finisher, Peter Obi, and his Labour Party failed to prove their claims that the Nigerian election commission did not follow due process in announcing the results of the vote. The court also dismissed the claim that Tinubu was not eligible to run for president due to his citizenship of Guinea and alleged lack of academic credentials.
The court rejected witness statements and ruled that the opposition parties did not provide sufficient evidence to support their claims. Haruna Tsammani, the head of the panel, stated, "It is clearly evident that the petitioners have failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by law. They have not been able to leave any cogent, credible, and acceptable evidence."
Another petition by the Allied Peoples Movement, which sought to nullify Tinubu's victory on the ground that his running mate, Vice President Kashim Shettima, was not legally nominated to contest, was also rejected by the court. The panel emphasized that the constitution qualified Shettima to run, and no other law could disqualify him.
Tinubu, who is currently attending the G20 summit in India, has denied all the allegations against him.
The court ruling comes amidst tight security in Abuja, where various support groups have gathered to show solidarity with their political parties and urge the judiciary to "do the right thing." However, police have issued a statement warning citizens to be cautious in their actions and statements, as security forces will not tolerate any activities that could incite violence or cause chaos.
The appeals court is empowered to uphold Tinubu's election win, declare someone else the winner, annul the vote, or order a new election. Whatever decision is made can be appealed at Nigeria's Supreme Court within 60 days.
If the judges uphold the last petition and annul the presidential election, it would be a first in Nigeria's history. Since the country's return to democracy in 1999, all presidential elections except one were contested in court, but none were overturned.
Tinubu won the election with less than 50% of the vote, another first in Nigeria's history. The opposing candidates filed separate petitions arguing that Tinubu was not qualified to become president and claiming the electoral commission did not follow due process in announcing the winner.
Amidst these challenges, the Nigerian government urges citizens to be patient with Tinubu. Mohammed Idris, Nigeria's minister of information, stated that the steps taken by the government to reform the country's ailing economy have brought momentary discomfort to Nigerians, but these measures are necessary to save the country from disappearing.
Source of content: OOO News 2023-09-06 News
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