Victor Ezeja
Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George said he disagrees with the decision of Nigeria’s Supreme Court on the status of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, especially with regards to presidential elections.
The apex court upheld the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that a candidate does not need to get at least 25 per cent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to be Nigeria’s president.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe court while delivering judgment in the appeals brought before it by the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, the Labour Party, Peter Obi, challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), held that the FCT has no special status.
Opposition candidates had contended that since Tinubu did not win up to 25 per cent of votes cast in the FCT, he was not qualified to be declared winner of the election.
However, Justice John Okoro, who read out the lead judgment said that section 299 of the constitution of Nigeria clearly states that the FCT must be considered a state when determining two-thirds majority of the Federation’s states for the purposes of returning a presidential candidate as duly elected.
According to Okoro, this means that even if a presidential candidate does not receive 25 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT, he or she will be deemed to have been duly elected if they receive 25 per cent, or one-quarter of the vote, in two-thirds of the 27 states of the Federation, including the FCT.
“The decision of the PEPC is unassailable. I do not see anything wrong with the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Court when it interpreted the constitution regarding the issue of 25 per cent”, Justice Okoro said.
Reacting to that the PDP chieftain and former chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, said he disagrees with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the status of FCT, because according to him, it is not a state within the Nigerian federation and that was why the word “…and FCT” was used in the constitution.
The issue of whether a presidential candidate must win not less than 25 per cent votes in the FCT aside from other states to be declared winner of the election has been a raging debate among members of political parties since the February 25 polls, but the Supreme Court ruling has laid it to rest.
The PDP Chieftain, Who was featured on Arise News TV’s Newsday programme on Friday afternoon, said that whatever happens, is a lesson for his party to learn, adding that there were signs of disunity in the party which led to the exit of some prominent members prior to the election.
According to him, if proper things were done and Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso remained in the party, their collective votes that went to LP and NNPP respectively would have been enough to swing PDP to victory in the presidential poll.
While maintaining that he remains a staunch member of the PDP, Chief George called for convergence of other members of the party to assess what happened in the election, draw lessons, and restrategise to forge ahead.
He also noted that with the party now in the opposition it would strive to keep the government on its toes by criticizing every policy and action to ensure they are in line with the goal of progress of the country.
He noted that what is left for the party now is to go back to the drawing board and restrategise.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
