As the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) gets underway, this report serves as a reminder of what the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, is asking from the Tribunal.
It could be recalled that Peter Obi and his Labour Party had challenged the outcome of the election which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, winner.
Hence, the issues for determination before the Tribunal are as follow:
- Whether the 2nd Respondent at the time of the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February, 2023 was not disqualified to contest the said election by virtue of the provisions of section 137(1)(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
- Whether the 3rd Respondent at the time of the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February, 2023 was qualified to contest the said election as the Vice-Presidential candidate to the 2nd Respondent; and if answered in the negative, whether this did not invalidate the qualification of the 2nd Respondent to contest the said Election.
- Whether the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February, 2023, wherein the 2nd Respondent was declared and returned by the 1st Respondent as the winner, was not invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
- Upon questions 1, 2 and 3 above (or any of them) being answered in the negative; and in the event of this Honourable Court ordering a rerun or fresh Presidential Election, whether the 1st and 2nd Respondents will not be disqualified from or declared ineligible to participate therein.
- In the alternative to questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 above:
- Whether the declaration and return of the 2nd Respondent by the 1st Respondent as the winner of the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February, 2023 was not invalid by virtue of the mandatory provisions of section 134(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
- Whether the declaration and return of the 2nd Respondent by the 1st Respondent as the winner of Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February, 2023, was not invalid by reason of corrupt practices perpetuated during the said election.
- In the alternative to questions 1, 2, 3, 4 above; and upon questions 5 and 6 above being answered in the negative:
- Whether the 1st Petitioner, having scored the highest number of votes cast at the Presidential Election held the 25th day of February, 2023, and having also satisfied the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, ought not to have been declared and returned by the 1st Respondent as the winner of the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February, 2023.
