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Title: Tinubu Warns Against Chaos and Anarchy if Presidential Election is Nullified Based on FCT Votes.
President Bola Tinubu has issued a strong warning against the potential consequences of nullifying the presidential election due to his failure to secure 25% of the lawful votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He conveyed his concerns during the proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PREPEC), where he presented his final written address in response to two petitions filed by candidates of the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), seeking to invalidate his victory.
Tinubu’s submissions emphasized that these petitions were unprecedented and not in line with the country’s electoral laws. He argued that the allegations of non-compliance lacked sufficient evidence to support them. Tinubu asserted that the grounds on which the petitions were based, including the failure to electronically upload certain results and the claim that he did not secure the required percentage of votes in the FCT, did not align with electoral laws.
The petitions aimed to challenge the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The petitioners alleged non-compliance with election guidelines and regulations, as well as discrepancies in the vote count. Tinubu was officially declared the winner with 8,794,726 votes, while his opponents, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, obtained 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes, respectively.
The issue of Tinubu’s qualification was also raised, citing an alleged United States District Court judgment ordering the forfeiture of funds suspected to be linked to drug trafficking. Additionally, the petitioners raised concerns about the double nomination of Shettima, who was already a senatorial candidate, as a potential disqualifying factor.
Throughout the trial, both Atiku and Obi presented witnesses and evidence to support their claims, including the submission of blurred result sheets. However, Tinubu’s legal team argued that the evidence presented failed to establish substantial irregularities or violations that would justify the nullification of the election.
Tinubu’s legal representatives emphasized that the Constitution treats each state’s votes and voters equally, regardless of population differences. They further contended that the interpretation of the relevant constitutional provisions should align with the legislature’s intent to prevent chaos and absurd outcomes.
Addressing the issue of electronic transmission of results, Tinubu’s counsel argued that the petitioners disproportionately focused on this aspect while disregarding the alternative provision for manual transmission, which is recognized by the law.
In conclusion, Tinubu urged the court to dismiss the petitions on the grounds of lacking merit, substance, and good faith. Additionally, he requested the inclusion of 10,929 votes in Kano State, which were discounted during the collation process, thereby increasing his total vote count.
The final judgment of the PREPEC regarding the petitions is still pending, and the court’s decision will determine the outcome of the presidential election.
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