The Minister of Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN) has expressed confidence that the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi can not overturn the outcome of the 2023 presidential election through the tribunal.
Keyamo in a statement on Tuesday submitted that Obi was comprehensively beaten at the polls by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu.
He explained that alleged electoral malpractice in just one state can’t be used as a basis to upturn the overall result of the presidential election particularly as the result of that one state does not have a significant effect on the overall tally, and the margin between Tinubu and Obi.
He added that the result of an election can’t be outrightly cancelled due to any alleged malpractice if that malpractice does not substantially affect the declared result.
Keyamo also submitted that the type of evidence that may be admissible in court to prove over voting may be quite different.
He wrote: “For the avoidance of doubt, Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT of the APC beat Peter Obi of LP by a margin of 2,693,193 votes.
“So, let me educate the unlearned fellows as to how electoral jurisprudence works so that no one deceives them: If you allege electoral malpractice in just ONE STATE and you do 100 TV documentaries on it, it cannot and will not upturn the overall result of the election in the event that when you subtract or add the result of that ONE STATE to the overall tally, the margin between both candidates will still not be obliterated.
“Whilst I am not commenting on any particular Petition pending in court now, I just want to say that the entire result of an election cannot be cancelled due to any alleged malpractice if that malpractice does not SUBSTANTIALLY affect the declared result.
“In addition, the type of evidence that may be admissible in court to prove over voting may be substantially different from what is put together to make fanciful documentaries that make the eyes of viewers pop out. So, just sit back and be entertained by documentaries.”
OsunDaily News recalls the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu of the APC as the winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. The outcome of the election is however been challenged in court by the Labour Party flagbearer, Peter Obi.
