By Gideon Njoku
The much expected hearing of the appeal filed by Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, against the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, which affirmed the victory of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s President will, all things being equal, come up on Monday, October 23, 2023 at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Tinubu, the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the February 25, 2023 Presidential Election, winner. But both Obi and the Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, cried foul, and filed a case before the PEPC, seeking to overturn the declaration of Tinubu as President.
However, a couple of weeks ago, PEPC dismissed the cases of both Candidates as without merit, prompting them to appeal to the Supreme Court.
A source within the Supreme Court disclosed on Thursday that Obi’s appeal will be heard on Monday, unless there is a change of plans.
The Supreme Court is the last bus stop for Obi, Atiku and Tinubu. Whatever the Justices who will be on the Panel decide, whether any of the three of them likes it or not, will be binding on them and their Political Parties. It is not known yet when Atiku’s appeal will be heard.
Obi and Atiku cited many issues on which they are appealing Tinubu’s victory, including alleged certificate forgery, rigging, nationality and other sundry issues.
Nigeria does not have a history of the Supreme Court, or any Court, overturning the election of an already sworn-in President of the Country.
