There is palpable tension and fear among party stakeholders and supporters ahead of the Supreme Court judgment today on the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, which saw Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerge victorious.
Tinubu was declared the winner of the February 25th presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, opposition camps have filed a case against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, alleging double nomination by the party’s Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
OsunDaily News understands that a suit by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is seeking Tinubu and Shettima’s disqualification from the poll over the alleged double nomination.
The opposition party claimed the act violated the electoral laws. The appellant anchored its appeal on the claims that the appellate court erred in law when it dismissed its appeal and affirmed the judgment of a trial court which held that the suit was incompetent and lacking in merit.
According to PDP, APC breached the law by nominating Shettima as the senatorial candidate for Borno Central and as a vice-presidential candidate for the party.
Barring last-minute decisions, Tinubu and Shettima will be sworn in as President and Vice-President, respectively, on Monday, May 29, 2023.
However, the anticipated ruling today is speculated to have generated some panic among Nigerians. Amid this, the ruling party has gone ahead with preparation for the May 29 inauguration ceremony.
Should the Supreme Court rule in favour of the PDP on the case filed, Tinubu and Shettima’s victory may be declared nulled.
Supreme Court Ruling Should Not Be A Cause For Alarm
During a conversation with Journalists ahead of the Supreme Court ruling today, a public affairs analyst, Chuks Ibegbu, said the ruling of the court should not be a cause for alarm.
He advised Nigerians to not allow themselves to be used in causing mayhem after the apex court ruling.
“Well, the Supreme Court is the highest in the land. There should be no cause for alarm. Whatever decision they take is Supreme. We hope their decision will be the best in the interest of justice and Nigeria.
“I want to advise all Nigerians to be law-abiding. Nobody should allow anybody to use him as a tool for mayhem.
“Politicians must never be allowed to sow the seed of discord on us. We have many things in common, viz- marriage, workplace relationship, religious companionship, etc, and when these politicians finally settle down in office it’s their wives, children, girlfriends, associates etc they care for and their bottomless pockets,” the chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo told Daily Post.
