President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have fervently appealed to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to uphold the results of the February 25 presidential election, despite the controversy surrounding the 25 percent threshold in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The plea from Tinubu and Shettima comes in response to the petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, challenging the validity of the election results. The prominent politicians’ lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun, delivered a powerful final address, arguing against the petition’s claims and witness testimonies, which he deemed “frivolous, bogus, and based on hearsay.”
In his address to the tribunal, Olanipekun urged the judges to dismiss the petition on grounds of lacking merit and substance. He strongly opposed the petitioners’ assertion that the election should be invalidated due to the alleged failure to obtain 25 percent of the votes in the FCT. Olanipekun emphasized that the use of the word “and” in the constitution is conjunctive, not disjunctive, and thus does not support the challengers’ remote contention.
Furthermore, the lead counsel rejected the notion of judges acting as oracles of life and making proclamations without solid legal backing. He emphasized that judges cannot perform miracles in civil claims or fabricate evidence to aid a plaintiff’s case.
The February presidential election had garnered significant attention due to the controversy surrounding the 25 percent threshold requirement in the FCT. Despite the ongoing dispute, President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima remain steadfast in their belief that the election results should stand.
The nation’s eyes are now on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal as they deliberate on the matter. The outcome of their decision will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the country’s political landscape.
As the proceedings continue, Nigerians eagerly await the tribunal’s ruling, which will determine the fate of the presidential election results and shape the future of the nation’s democracy