The Supreme Court has fixed May 26 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the disqualification of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The judgment will be delivered three days before the inauguration of the
president-elect and the vice-president-elect.
The PDP, in the suit filed on July 28, 2022, claimed that Shettima’s
nomination as Tinubu’s running mate was in breach of the provisions of sections
29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2) of the electoral act, 2022.
The party argued that Shettima’s nomination to contest the position of
vice-president and Borno central senatorial seat — at the same time —
contravened the law.
The PDP, which sought an order disqualifying the APC, Tinubu, and
Shettima from contesting the presidential election, also sought an order
nullifying their candidacies.
However, Inyang Ekwo, the trial judge at the court of appeal, dismissed
the suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked the locus standi to institute the
suit.
Not satisfied, the PDP appealed the judgment.
Delivering judgment in the appeal, a three-member panel of the court of
appeal led by James Abundaga held that the PDP failed to establish that it had
locus standi to institute the case.
Abundaga described the PDP as a “busybody”, who dabbled into issues that
were internal affairs of the APC.
“The appellant, having failed to disclose its locus standi, this appeal
fails and it is hereby dismissed,” he said.
The judge also awarded N5 million cost against the appellant’s lawyer,
J. O. Olotu.
Post a Comment