Supreme Court Set To Deliver Judgment On 2023 Presidential Poll After Months Of Legal Tussle

The Supreme Court will deliver judgment on the 2023 presidential election on Thursday, months after the poll was held. 

While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bola Tinubu, who contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25 exercise, his opponents challenged his victory in court.

The Labour Party and its presidential candidate Peter Obi, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its flagbearer Atiku Abubakar are challenging Tinubu’s win.

They had taken their cases to the apex court after the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) upheld Tinubu’s victory.

Months after filing their appeals, all parties involved confirmed a Wednesday date for the delivery of judgment. It said

During the Supreme Court’s last sitting on Wednesday, it had reserved judgment on the appeals filed by the duo against the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court which affirmed Tinubu’s victory in the presidential election.

A seven-member panel of the court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, confirmed this after counsels to parties adopted their briefs of argument and made final submissions.

Ahead of Thursday’s judgment, the premises of the Supreme Court were beaming with activities as politicians, top government dignitaries, and the media, among others, trooped in for the verdict.

Channels Television is among five television stations given the approval to record the live proceedings of the Presidential Election Judgement at the Supreme Court.

They are, however, not to take the faces of the justices. Those already present inside the Supreme Court include chairmen of the All Progressives Congress, Labour Party, and acting chair of the Peoples Democratic Party, Abdullahi Ganduje, Julius Abure, and Umar Damagum, respectively.

The party chairmen were seen exchanging pleasantries as they arrived at the sitting to hear the apex court’s judgment regarding the petitions of the LP and PDP presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, respectively; against the election of the All Progressives Congress candidate, President Bola Tinubu.

Also present is the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Atiku Abubakar lead counsel, Chris Uche SAN; Mike Ozekhome, SAN; among others.