…Summary Of Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal Submissions
1. INTERESTED PARTIES TESTIMONIES ARE NOT ADMISSIBLE: If you’re to testify in a matter before a court of competent jurisdiction, especially as an expert witness, neutrality is sine qua non. There mustn’t be any trace of personal interest in the matter.
2. TINUBU’S QUALIFICATION NOT IN DOUBT: All available facts with regards to qualification before the court point to the fact that the APC 2023 Presidential Candidate ( His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu) as he then was, show that he was/is eminently qualified for the office to which he aspired.
3. His Right Of Ingress And Egress Into the United States of America is suggestive of the fact that no criminal record is against him
4. SHETIMA’S NOMINATION SETTLED AS PARTY’S INTERNAL MATTER: It is the duty of a political party to file a candidate for a given Constituency in an election, and nothing pretentious. No outsider has right of interference.
5. LP COULDN’T PROVE MALPRACTICES AS ALLEGED: The Labour Party (LP) alleged that the 2023 Presidential election was marred with malpractices. But, unfortunately they could not tender sufficient evidence to prove the malpractices as alleged.
6. LP DIDN’T SHOW WITH HOW MUCH VOTE IT WON THE ELECTION: The Labour Party (LP) had claimed in their front-loaded processes that they actually, though allegedly, won the election. But, they failed to show how many votes they scored at the polls.
7. INABILITY OF INEC TO TRANSMIT ELECTION RESULTS IN REAL TIME, DOES NOT DEPART FROM SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE:
It is the exclusive duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conduct elections, part of such conduct is to collate, transmit and announce the results.
INEC therefore is to choose which mode of transmission is safe, convenient and practicable. It’s inability to transmit via a given mode does amount to substantial non-compliance to the extent of invalidating the outcome of such election.
8. OBI’S NOMINATION BY LP IS AN INTERNAL PARTY ISSUE:
The All Progressives Congress had also challenged the nomination and candidacy of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate; Mr. Peter Obi. The court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain such matter as nomination of any candidate for any election remains the exclusive duty of the political party.
9. ABUJA DOES NOT ENJOY SPECIAL STATUS TO OTHER STATES SO NO 25% VOTES REQUIRED FOR A CANDIDATE TO WIN COMPULSORILY IN ABUJA:
It is trite that Nigeria has a total of 37 states inclusive of Abuja, which enjoys a special administrative status being the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The special administrative status so given to the FCT does not convey to her, any special electoral status hence, the 2/3 votes is not compulsory for Abuja.
10. SHETTIMA ALLEGED DOUBLE NOMINATION LACK MERIT. NOMINATION IS AN INTERNAL PARTY AFFAIRS:
As stated earlier.
more details later