The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, against the election of President Bola Tinubu.
Justice Inyang Okoro endorsed the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the February 2023 presidential election.
Okoro held there is no other set of results presented by Atiku to counter what was announced by INEC.
He maintained that the correct figures ought to and must be pleaded by Atiku because election litigation is based on figures
Okoro held that INEC was right in the results declared in the absence of any other results tendered by Atiku before the court.
“The results declared by INEC are the correct position of the law. I wholely endorse same,” Okoro said, adding that he was unable to find any alternative figure put forth by the appellants as their rightful votes.
“That is why this issue is resolved against the appellants,” Okoro added.
Okoro held that the entire Petition is hereby dismissed, Atiku, having failed to prove his case.
On the uncomplimentary remarks of the Presidential Election Petition Court against Atiku like “clever by half,” Okoro held that in his view, they were not meant to disparage counsels.
“It is very unbecoming that while a matter is pending before the court, litigants will now be talking to the press,” Okoro held.
