The Supreme Court, earlier today, dismissed the suit by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, challenging the eligibility of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima to contest as presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The PDP filed a lawsuit on July 28, 2022 against the APC and Tinubu for fielding Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate in the February 25, 2023 presidential election though the former governor of Borno State also doubles as the APC’s senatorial candidate for Borno Central for the National Assembly general election.
The PDP argued that Shettima’s nomination as APC’s vice-presidential candidate and senatorial candidate for Borno Central amounted to double nomination, which contravenes the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The party, therefore, prayed the court to disqualify the APC, Tinubu, and Shettima from contesting the presidential election and to nullify Tinubu and Shettima’s candidacy.
The Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Abuja on January 13, 2023, and March 24, 2023, had earlier dismissed the matter for “lacking merit.”
No satisfied with the judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, the PDP took the matter to the Supreme Court in the hopes that the apex court would overrule the verdicts of the lower courts.
During the sitting on Friday (today), the Supreme Court upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Justice Adamu Jauro, who read the unanimous decision of the five-member panel, said the PDP lacked the legal right to institute the suit against the APC and, consequently, dismissed the suit for lacking merit.
“The position of the law has always been that no political party can challenge the nomination of a candidate of another political party,” the Judge said.
“The position did not change in section 285(14)(c) of the constitution. No matter how pained or disgruntled a political party is with the way and manner another political party is conducting or has conducted its affairs concerning its nomination of candidates for any position, it must keep mum and remain an onlooker for he lacks the locus standi to challenge such nomination in court.
“Section 285(14)(c) of the constitution only allows a political party to challenge the decisions and activities of INEC disqualifying its own candidate from participating in an election.”
- N100 Billion Corruption Case Take New Turn As EFCC Seeks Yahaya Bello’s Arrest - April 18, 2024
- Tinubu Opens Doors for NOUN Graduates in NYSC and Law School - April 18, 2024
- Army Rescues Abducted Chibok Schoolgirl After 10 Years - April 18, 2024
