Emmanuel OchayiThe Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, emerged victorious in the face of two critical objections raised against his candidacy by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The first objection revolved around Peter Obi’s membership in the Labour Party. President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima had vehemently contested the authenticity of Obi’s party affiliation.
However, Justice Abba Mohammed, a member of the five-man panel, firmly stated, “Only a political party can determine who its members are, and that no other person or entity can probe into it.”
This ruling quashed any doubts about Obi’s membership and cleared the path for his candidacy.
READ ALSO: Tribunal Dismisses LP’s Petition On Electoral Irregularities
The second objection pertained to the validity of Obi’s petition. The crux of this objection was that Obi had not included the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, in his petition.
Nevertheless, Justice Mohammed offered a compelling rebuttal, asserting that a petitioner is solely obligated to include the winning candidate and their political party, along with the election commission, in their petition. Joining a candidate who did not win was not a mandatory requirement.
Justice Mohammed also addressed the respondents’ concerns regarding the specifics of Obi’s allegations. He acknowledged that Obi’s petition had contained generic accusations of irregularities without providing detailed information about polling units.
Additionally, spreadsheets, inspection reports, and forensic analyses submitted during the trial were not initially shared with the respondents.
Furthermore, the judge noted that Obi and the Labour Party had failed to furnish particulars of corrupt practices, suppression of votes, entry of fictitious results, and other irregularities in their pleadings. These shortcomings in the petition did not, however, invalidate Obi’s candidacy.
Justice Haruna Tsammani, reading the panel’s verdict on the substantive petition filed by Obi and the Labour Party, sealed the day’s proceedings. The ruling not only secured Obi’s place as a legitimate presidential candidate but also emphasized the importance of adhering to legal procedures and principles in the nation’s democratic process.
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