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All is set for the highly anticipated inauguration of President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Monday, as the Supreme Court dismissed the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP had sought the disqualification of the ticket that produced Tinubu as President-elect and Kashim Shettima as Vice President-elect in the 2023 presidential election.
Additionally, a Federal High Court in Abuja declined to issue an interim injunction to halt Tinubu's inauguration. The plaintiffs alleged that the President-elect had lied on oath in the form he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Supreme Court affirmed that Tinubu and Shettima were eligible to contest the presidential election held on February 25. The PDP had argued for Tinubu's disqualification based on Shettima's dual nomination for both the Borno Central Senatorial seat and the vice-presidential position. The party claimed that this constituted a breach of electoral laws.
However, the court ruled that the PDP lacked the legal right to interfere in the affairs of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which nominated Tinubu and Shettima. The court emphasized that political parties cannot meddle in the internal affairs of other parties. It also stated that the PDP failed to prove that its rights were threatened or establish any injury resulting from the APC's nomination.
Justice Adamu Jauro, delivering the lead judgment, described the PDP's appeal as a "nosy busybody" and a "meddlesome interloper." He criticized the PDP for wasting judicial time and awarded N2 million in damages against the party.
In response to the Supreme Court's decision, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP's presidential candidate, stated that it was not a setback in their pursuit of justice at the election petition tribunal. Atiku expressed confidence in his legal team's ability to prove that Tinubu and Shettima's election was fraudulent and violated constitutional requirements.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party (LP) expressed readiness to proceed with its petition at the tribunal, unaffected by the Supreme Court judgment. The LP's acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, clarified that their case was different from the one the PDP lost, and they remained hopeful of victory at the tribunal.
In a separate development, the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to issue an order of interim injunction to halt Tinubu's swearing-in as President of Nigeria on May 29. The court dismissed a suit brought by three plaintiffs who alleged that Tinubu had lied about his qualifications and date of birth. The court held that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, as only an aspirant could challenge the qualification or nomination of a candidate in an election.
The court deemed the suit unconstitutional, frivolous, and vexatious, awarding costs in favor of the respondents. The judge warned that the court would not be used to destabilize democracy and threatened to refer the counsels involved to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
