As Nigerians await the judgement of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal on the February 25 presidential election today, supporters of the main political parties are upbeat that the ruling will be in their favour.
Many of the supporters will stay glued to their digital devices for the televised live proceedings from the Tribunal venue at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, the nation’s political capital.
The curiosity mixed with anxiety are palpable across the country with many expectations depending on the divide someone belongs.
Iwitness recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the election with 8,794,726 votes.
While his closest rival and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar polled 6,984,520 votes.
The flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, scored 6,101,533 votes.
Tinubu and Atiku won 12 states each, Obi clinched 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while former Kano State Governor and candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, finished fourth, claiming victory in his state — Kano with 1,496,687 votes.
Atiku and Obi with their parties rejected the outcome of the exercise as well as three other dissatisfied political parties — Action Peoples Party (APP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the Action Alliance (AA) thereafter filed separate petitions at the Presidential Election Petitions Court, seeking the annulment of Tinubu’s victory.
However, the APP and AA withdrew their petitions shortly as the Tribunal commenced hearing on May 8, 2023.
Amid the Tribunal hearing, Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima, were sworn in as President and Vice President respectively in Abuja on May 29, 2023 after the eight-year double tenure of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
At the Tribunal, the petitioners argued that Tinubu and Shettima were ineligible to contest the presidential election.
The petitioners contended that since Tinubu failed to secure 25 percent of votes cast in the FCT. They also alleged that Tinubu was indicted for drug trafficking in the United States, and that his academic certificates submitted to INEC were forged, amongst others, claims that Tinubu’s lawyers condemned as false.
Also, Tinubu’s team of lawyers told the Tribunal to reject and throw out the submissions of the petitioners, arguing that the APC candidate won the poll and INEC was constitutionally correct to declare him as President-Elect.
After months of adoption of written addresses and presentation of witnesses and evidences, a five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani on August 1, 2023, reserved judgment in the matter.
About a month after, the Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Umar Bangari, on September 4, 2023, said the Tribunal will deliver its judgments on the cases before it challenging the victory of Tinubu.
The court also said the proceedings will be open to live broadcast by interested television stations.
In sequel memo signed by Oluwaleye David, on behalf of the Chief Registrar of the court, staff members of the court were asked to stay at home to create a peaceful atmosphere during the Tribunal session.
With the already waiting for the ruling, all eyes are on the judiciary.
