Rising from a sitting that lasted for more than 12 hours, the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC), on Wednesday night, upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu as the authentic winner of the February 25 presidential election.
In a unanimous 5-0 decision, the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led 5-man panel also held that Tinubu was duly elected and lawfully declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 1.
Four other Justices of the Court of Appeal (JCAs) and members of the panel: Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Justice Moses Ugo and Justice Abba Mohammed, concurred with the verdict of JCA Tsammani, saying that his findings and pronouncement were in order.
In its landmark judgment, the tribunal further dismissed the three consolidated petitions by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
The PEPC also held that the three consolidated petitions lacked merit and ought to be dismissed.
Tinubu scored a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku and Obi, who polled 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes respectively.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Tsammani held that the petitioners had failed to prove their allegations beyond reasonable doubts.
The Tribunal Chairman further held that the petitions, lacking in merit, were consequently dismissed.
He also held that all parties would bear their respective costs.
The Presidential Tribunal had in the substantive judgement delivered by justice Haruna Tsammani, resolved the four issues raised in favour of Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC and INEC (the respondents).
According to the Tribunal, the petitioners failed to provide the necessary facts to prove all their allegations.
The PEPC also held that the petitioners failed to call agents who are on ground at the various polling units.
Regarding the lawful valid votes, the court held that such allegations was made but no other election result was provided.
Justice Tsammani then said, ” It is settled that before a party can claim that a crime was committed, such Party must proof it beyond respondents doubt.
” All issues raised been resolved against the petitioners, the petitions therefore, lack merit.
“Having found the three petitions to be devoid of merit, the petitions are hereby dismissed.”
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