President Tinubu’s Presidential Legal Team (TPLT) has explained why the Presidential Elections Petition Tribunal (PEPT) judgement copies had their logo.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Alhaji Atiku’s media aide, Phrank Shuaib on Saturday spotted the Tinubu’s legal team logo on the judgment copies and raised questions concerning it.
But in response, TPLT coordinator Babatunde Ogala explained in a statement on Saturday that they watermarked their copy of the judgement after collection from the Court of Appeal before circulating the scanned copies to members of their team.
The statement reads in part: “After the delivery of judgement in the three election petitions by the Court of Appeal on September 6, 2023, the Court directed its registry to make physical copies of same available on September 7, 2023.
“Accordingly, the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team applied for a Certified True Copy of the said judgement and paid the prescribed fee.
“In fact, the representative of the PDP collected the first copy that was made available by the registry.
“On collecting our own copy, we immediately scanned and watermarked it with the inscription “Tinubu Presidential Legal Team ‘TPLT’” before circulating the scanned soft copies to the lawyers in our team.
“The Certified True Copy issued to us and other parties in the petitions by the registry does not contain the said inscription, and any insinuation to the contrary is untrue.
“Counsel for the petitioners will also appreciate the fact that the insinuations being circulated in some quarters are untrue, unkind, unfair, and unfortunate, as they have the same certified copies of the judgement as we have.”
Earlier this week, PEPT upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu at the 2023 general election.
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) have already headed to the Supreme Court to contest the ruling.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the ruling of the Presidential Elections Petition Court (PEPC) confirming the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, in the February 25 election.
The senior special adviser, media and publicity to the former president Garba Shehu, made this known in a statement on Thursday.
Buhari commended the PEPC for its decision, stating that it had made history by upholding justice and respecting the wishes of the majority of citizens.
He stressed that democracy and the people emerged as the true victors in this ruling.
“If anybody has won today, it is democracy and the people. With the verdict of the Supreme Court, the election period is over, and it is time to put the heat and dust behind us.
“From here, the new APC administration led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should get the support of everyone in order to deliver the promises it made to the people,” Buhari said.
He extended his warm congratulations to President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and the APC on their victory in court, offering his best wishes for their success in fulfilling the people’s aspirations.
On Wednesday, the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) comprised of a 5-member panel of justices chaired by Justice Haruna Tsammani, affirmed Tinubu as the authentic winner of the 2023 presidential election.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo has reacted to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal’s Judgment delivered on Wednesday in favour of President Tinubu.
Peter Obi and Atiku challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
However, the Tribunal judgement did not go in their favour as they suffered a major setback on Wednesday in their legal battle to unseat Tinubu.
Keyamo who played a key role in the emergence of the president has now advised Atiku and Obi to ‘come to their senses’ and embrace the current administration.
The senior advocate of Nigeria took to his Platform X to react to the judgment.
His post reads “Today, Daniel has come to judgment: whether it is the fake US drug issue or the 25% FCT issue or the issue of IREV, EVERY SINGLE thing some of us have always shouted ourselves hoarse about during the campaigns and post-campaigns have been PROVED ABSOLUTELY RIGHT,”
“It only reassures some of us to always stand up for what we believe in, even if it appears to be against the temporary tide! Eventually, posterity will always vindicate the just!
“Huge congratulations to @officialABAT for this judicial vindication from all the wicked lies against his person.
“Now, it is time for them to have some sense and embrace his government and national reconciliation,” he added.
The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal,(PEPT) has rejected the European Union Election Observers Mission report on the 25 February presidential election tendered by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.
PEPT said that it rejected the report on the grounds that it was not tendered by an official of the body, which is the author and has custody of the document.
Similarly, the court also rejected the 18,088 blurred results sheets tendered by the petitioners on the grounds that they are not tied to any of the polling units to which the results referred to, and which the petitioners failed to specify in their petition.
It was gathered that the actual copy of the report was earlier tendered by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party while prosecuting their petition before the tribunal.
The Presidential Election Petitions Court has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s petition challenging Peter Obi’s membership in the Labour Party (LP) as incompetent.
The Court’s decision, delivered by Justice Abba Mohammed, underscored the principle that membership in a political party is an internal matter and not subject to external legal challenges.
The case in question had revolved around APC’s challenge to Peter Obi’s purported membership in the LP, a matter that had generated considerable attention in political circles
Justice Abba Mohammed, in delivering the ruling, emphasized the importance of recognizing the internal affairs of political parties. He asserted that disputes over party membership and affiliations should be addressed through the parties’ internal mechanisms and not through the courts.
The decision to declare the petition incompetent serves as a significant legal precedent, affirming the autonomy of political parties in managing their internal affairs. It reiterates the principle that the judiciary should refrain from interfering in matters that fall within the purview of political parties’ organizational structures.
While this ruling represents a resolution to the specific case brought by APC, its implications extend beyond this particular dispute. It reinforces the boundaries between legal jurisdictions and political party governance, which can have implications for similar cases in the future.
As Nigeria’s political landscape continues to evolve, legal rulings like this one shape the contours of the relationship between political parties and the judiciary. This decision underscores the need for parties to address internal matters internally, leaving the courts to adjudicate on issues within their legal purview.
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, September 6, dismissed the suit against President Bola Tinubu’s qualifications used in contesting the last general elections.
The suits were filed by the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PEPT’s proceeding is still ongoing at the time of filing this report.
Nigeria’s presidential election tribunal is poised to deliver a landmark judgment that could determine the fate of President Bola Tinubu’s presidency.
This judgment comes after five political parties and their respective candidates, who were contenders in the February presidential election, submitted petitions challenging the legitimacy of his victory.
The petitions have raised concerns about the integrity of the election and the authenticity of the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The tribunal, located in the capital city of Abuja, began hearing these petitions since on May 8.
In the run-up to the election, President Tinubu made a surprising move by selecting Kashim Shettima, the former governor of Borno State, as his running mate.
Earlier arrivals at the court
This decision was considered unconventional, given that both Tinubu and Shettima are Muslims hailing from different regions, the southwest and northeast, respectively.
Thenewsguru.com (TNG) notes that while there have been numerous legal challenges to the outcomes of previous Nigerian presidential elections, none have succeeded.
Therefore, most political observers tend to expect the tribunal to uphold President Tinubu’s win.
Atiku Abubakar, representing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi, from the Labour Party, are the main petitioners who have asked the court to invalidate the election.
Their claims revolve around allegations of irregularities and accusations of INEC breaching the law by failing to utilize electronic voting machines to upload polling station results, among other criticisms.
The tribunal holds the power to cancel an election and order a fresh one if it deems this necessary, among other potential remedies.
However, should the tribunal uphold President Tinubu’s win, Atiku and Obi still have the option to make a final appeal at Nigeria’s Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority in the country.
However, this appeal process must be concluded within 60 days from the date of the tribunal’s judgment.
In the lead-up to the tribunal’s ruling, the military had established checkpoints on major roads leading into Abuja, conducting random searches of commuters and vehicles to ensure security.
Tight security on the road leading to the court
Additionally, strict security measures have been put in place at the court premises. Two black vehicles are stationed to screen all individuals entering the courtroom, and security operatives are strategically positioned outside to maintain surveillance.
Legal representatives of the political parties have been pruned to accommodate all interested parties and political dignitaries expected to be present for the judgment.
Notably, several top government officials, including Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State, and Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State, have already arrived at the Court in anticipation of the verdict.
President Tinubu assumed office facing a multitude of daunting challenges, including anaemic economic growth, high unemployment, the highest inflation rate in two decades, record levels of debt, significant oil theft impacting government revenues, and widespread insecurity.
Addressing these pressing issues requires broad public support. However, President Tinubu secured 8.79 million votes, the fewest ever garnered by a Nigerian president since the nation’s return to democracy in 1999.
This limited level of electoral support places constraints on the goodwill he enjoys.
His closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secured 6,984,520 votes to claim second place, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party who resonated with younger voters, garnered 6.1 million votes.
Nigerian electoral law stipulates that a candidate can secure victory by amassing more votes than their rivals, provided they obtain 25 per cent of the vote in at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the federal capital, Abuja.
However, opposition parties have contented that President Tinubu who was declared the winner, did not attain the required 25 per cent of the vote in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The 2023 presidential election judgment is being live-streamed, adding to the heightened anticipation among Nigerians eagerly awaiting the tribunal’s verdict.
This live-streamed coverage allows citizens from all parts of the country to closely follow the proceedings and outcomes of this crucial judgment.
