- President Tinubu’s legal team urges the Supreme Court to reject Atiku’s appeal, citing abuse of court process and lack of merit
- Atiku’s appeal challenges the Presidential Election Petitions Court’s judgment, claiming it was unjust and perverse, and includes allegations of academic diploma forgery
President Bola Tinubu has made a strong plea to the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal filed by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the outcome of the February 25 election.
Tinubu’s Response
In response to Atiku’s appeal, President Tinubu’s legal team, led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has urged the apex court to reject Atiku’s appeal on grounds of abuse of the court process. They argue that the appeal lacks merit and good faith, emphasizing that Atiku’s contentions aim to discredit the election outcome rather than addressing substantive issues.
According to Olanipekun, “The logical conclusion from this approbative and reprobative posture of the appellants is that deep down in their hearts, they are convinced that the respondent won the election but have decided to embark on this voyage of abuse of court process.” He said, “Everything put together or summarized, this appeal further demonstrates the abusive nature to which the appellants have subjected court processes. The Supreme Court is urged to dismiss it.”
Atiku’s Grounds for Appeal
Atiku’s appeal requests the Supreme Court to overturn the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Court. The central point of contention lies in the allegation that the judgment was unjust and perverse in its conclusion that Atiku had failed to substantiate his claims of irregularities, malpractices, and non-compliance with electoral laws and guidelines.
Furthermore, Atiku has submitted fresh evidence alleging the forgery of President Tinubu’s academic diploma from the Chicago State University. This evidence is presented to argue that President Tinubu was not qualified to contest the election under Section 137 of the Nigerian Constitution.
The legal battle between President Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar continues to unfold at the highest level, with the Supreme Court now at the centre of a significant dispute regarding the outcome of the February 25 election. As both parties present their arguments, the nation awaits the decision of the Supreme Court, which will ultimately determine the course of Nigerian politics.