The Presidential Election Petitions Court has found that the All Progressives Congress (APC) lacks locus standi to contest Peter Obi’s Labour Party membership (LP).
In their complaints, the APC and Bola Tinubu stated that Obi’s name was not on the list of LP members provided to INEC on April 25, 2022, which violated Section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Nevertheless, in the lead decision on the APC’s objections to Obi and the LP’s petitions, Judge Abba Bello Mohammed (before handing over the verdict to Justice Haruna Tsammani) found that the case was entirely an internal political party matter.
“It is only the second respondent (LP) that has the sole prerogative of determining those who are its members,” he said.
Justice Mohammed also dismissed APC’s objection on the non-joinder of PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Obi and LP’s petition challenging the results of the election for him (Atiku) not being a necessary party in the petition.
