26th October, 2023
The Supreme Court has commenced the sitting to bring down the curtain on the legal disputes over the outcome of the 25 February presidential election.
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party – the two leading opposition candidates at the election – had filed separate appeals to challenge the earlier 6 September verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court which affirmed Mr Tinubu’s victory.
Today’s verdict will be the final court decision on the disputes over the election. It will mark the end of a two-stage judicial battle, the first part of which was decided by the presidential election court in favour of Mr Tinibu, which was further challenged at the Supreme Court. The court will now give the final say on the validity or otherwise of Mr Tinubu’s election.
Updates.
Members of the Supreme Court panel led by John Okoro file into the courtroom at exactly 9:20 a.m.
9:22 a.m.: Registrar calls Atiku Abubakar’s appeal.
Atiku Abubakar’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), announces appearance.
9:25 a.m : Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN) announces appearance for INEC.
9:26a.m.: A lawyer, Akintola Makinde, from the law firm of Wole Olanipekun (SAN), announces appearance for President Bola Tinubu.
09: 29 a.m.: A lawyer, Olumide Olujinmi, announces appearance for APC.
Court set to deliver judgement on Atiku’s appeal.
9:30 a.m.: The presiding justice of the panel, John Okoro, begins reading the lead judgement on Atiku’s appeal.
9:33 a.m.: Mr Okoro gives a background to the appeal.
9.35 a.m.: The Justice recaps the issues that came up at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja.
The issues include alleged electoral fraud, President Tinubu’s non-qualification, and non-compliance of the conduct of the disputed election with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
9: 45: Justice John Okoro continues to read the petition of the PDP.