Nigeria: Don't Cancel My Election Over 25% in FCT, Tinubu Tells Tribunal

President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, have told the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja, to dismiss the petition of the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate Peter Obi.

Tinubu and Shettima, through their counsel, Mr Wole Olanipekun (SAN) in his final written address against the petition of Obi and LP, described the arguments and testimonies of witnesses presented by the challengers as "frivolous, bogus and based on hearsay."

In his written address, he urged the court to dismiss the petition as totally lacking in merit, substance and bona fide.

He argued that the "remote" contention of the petitioners that his client's election should be cancelled for not scoring 25 percent or one-quarter of the votes recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is not backed by any fact known to the law as the use of "and" in the constitution is conjunctive and not disjunctive.

He argued, "This case clearly cries to high heavens in vain to be fed with relevant and admissible evidence.

"The appellant woefully failed to realise that judges do not act like the oracles of life, which is often engaged in crystal gazing and thereafter would proclaim a new Oba in succession to a deceased Oba.

"Judges cannot perform miracles in the handling of civil claims, and at least of all manufacture evidence for the purpose of assisting a plaintiff win his case."

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.