The Supreme Court has fixed Thursday, October 26, 2023, as the date to deliver judgement in the cases of the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Bola Tinubu.

 

The Supreme Court on Monday, October 23, had its hearing into the appeals filed by the PDP presidential candidate and his LP counterpart challenging the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) that upheld Tinubu’s electoral victory

 

The judgement date was confirmed by all parties involved.

 

The legal team of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on Friday confirmed that it had received the Certified True Copies of the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court.

The same was for the legal team of the flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25, 2023 election, Peter Obi.

Our source recalls that the presidential tribunal on Wednesday had ruled out the petition filed by Atiku and Obi against President Bola Tinubu’s victory.

Atiku and Obi in their reaction to the court ruling vowed to approach the Supreme Court.

According to Punch, the lead counsel to Obi, Dr Livy Uzoukwu (SAN) confirmed on the telephone that he had received a copy of the judgment.

He said, “I have a copy of the judgment; they are scanning it at the moment.”

Also, Atiku’s lead counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), confirmed the development of the platform.

He said while responding to a text message sent to him, “Yes; we have just received it.”

Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, had in a statement issued earlier on Friday slammed the PEPC for allegedly failing to release the certified copies of the judgment to the former vice president’s legal team.

Shaibu had claimed, “By not making available to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, the Certified True Copies of the judgment of Wednesday for its filings at the Supreme Court, the Presidential Election Petition Court is undermining Atiku’s and Nigerians’ quest for justice.”

A copy of the judgment went viral on social media on Friday.

The 798-page document was signed by the Secretary of the PEPC and dated September 8, 2023.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has asked the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi not to contemplate appealing the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) which affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu at the poll, saying that he Obi will not win.

 

Recall that on Wednesday, September 6, the tribunal dismissed Peter Obi’s petition on grounds that it lacked merit. In a press conference he held on Thursday, September 7, Obi rejected the judgement and said he would be appealing it. 

 

While speaking with newsmen in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital on Saturday, September 9, Umahi urged Obi not to appeal against the tribunal judgement, arguing that his appeal would also be thrown out by the Supreme Court.

 

“Throughout the campaign period and even now, I keep saying it boldly that God told me that Tinubu will be President of Nigeria. It was tough here in South East but I am very happy that Tinubu eventually became the President of this country. Like I said in Imo State, God has a purpose for everybody. There was John the Baptist, there was Christ and there is still Christ. Peter Obi has served the purpose of John the Baptist for the Divine President Bola Tinubu Ahmed, that’s all that God brought him to do this time around. 

So, I advise him not to go to any court of appeal. I am not a Lawyer but the Governor of Ebonyi State is a Lawyer and he has interpreted the judgment and it has left no hope for any appeal. Those judges are spirits. They went into everything and dissected them just like getting a coconut and breaking it. You will get the water and everything and get the nut.

So, I advise him not to go to appeal, he is not even 2nd, he came 3rd at the election. he is our brother. Let South Eastern people come together to support President Tinubu. He made us the number one Minister even when we didn’t vote very well for him.

But we voted even very well more than other regions because through the calling of John the Baptist, we were able to bring down PDP and that is a victory for APC”.