The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday at the Supreme Court insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be disqualified from the 2023 presidential election.
He maintained that Tinubu was not constitutionally qualified to contest the election at the time he did.
The former Vice President, through his lead counsel, Chris Uche SAN, asked the apex court to invoke the provisions of the Constitution to annul Tinubu’s participation in the election.
As usual, he predicated his request for Tinubu’s disqualification on alleged certificate forgery and lying on oath.
In the absence of outright disqualification, Atiku pleaded with the Justice John Inyang Okoro-led panel to order a rerun between him and Tinubu.
However, Tinubu, through his lead counsel, Wole Adenipekun SAN, asked the court to dismiss Atiku’s claims of certificate forgery and lying on oath.
The senior lawyer insisted that Atiku’s allegations are unsubstantiated and cannot enjoy any probate value until proved beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, represented by Abubakar Mahmoud SAN, also canvassed that Atiku’s petition be thrown out for want of merit.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, led by Chief Akin Olujinmi SAN, adopted the position of Olanipekun in calling for dismissal of the petition.
Details later.
