BBC Pidgin of Thursday, 26 October 2023

Source: BBC

Supreme court judgement on presidential election - Tinubu, Obi, Atiku go sabi dia fate

Di three men go know dia fate Di three men go know dia fate

Di Supreme Court don uphold di victory of President Bola Tinubu for di 25 February presidential election.

Di seven man panel wey Justice Inyang Okoro lead bin declare Bola Ahmed Tinubu as di duly elected president of di Federal Rpublic of Nigeria.

Justice Okoro wey deliver di judgement tok say “On di whole, having resolved all di issues against di appellant, na my view say merit no dey for di appeal and e dey hereby dismissed.

“Di judgment of di lower court wey dem deliver on September 6th 2023 wey affirm di election of di second respondent as di duly elected President of di Federal Republic of Nigeria dey hereby affirmed.”

Di highest court for dia ruling dismiss di appeals of di presidential candidate of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and di Labour Party (LP) and dia candidate Peter Obi, e say dia appeal lack merit.

Nigeria Supreme Court on Thursday bin decide whether or not to uphold di election victory of President Bola Tinubu.

Im two main challengers, Atiku Abubakar of di People's Democratic Party and Peter Obi of di Labour Party, wan overturn di February presidential election, alleging say mago-mago full inside.

Di Supreme Court get 60 days to pass dia judgement – but dem decide to fast track di ruling afta hearing di arguments of di challengers on Monday.

Anoda matter wey di kontri highest court bin determine na whether to admit di new evidence of alleged forgery wey Atiku Abubakar carry come.

Di PDP presidential candidate bin present new evidence, saying di certificate we yoga Tinubu present to di Independent National Electoral Commission different from di one wey Chicago State University issue.

Di oda challenger, Peter Obi say oga Tinubu no qualify to contest di presidential election at di time wey e contest.

Dem insist say make di Supreme Court quash di decision of di tribunal wey uphold Tinubu win.

E no clear whether di Supreme Court go follow di pattern pipo don see in previous election — wia dem never cancel any presidential election result since di kontri return to democracy in 1999.

Breakdown of di Supreme Court ruling

Di Supreme Court dismiss di application of di presidential candidate of di Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar to present fresh evidence to support im appeal for di court.

Justice Okoro tok say di court lack di jurisdiction to admit di new evidence plus di application dey against di electoral act.

“No amendment fit happun by introducing new facts wey no dey for di election petition as stated in section 132(7) of di Electoral Act” Justice Okoro tok.

Im Lordship say di reason na because dem no submit dis deposition give di lower court wey bin hear di case within di 180 days dem bin get to do so.

E say di court no fit activate section 22 of di Supreme Court Act to admit fresh evidence.

”We no fit grant di leave. No paragraph dey for di petition wey show forgery. E go float on di appeal if we admit am.

Atiku bin go di apex court to submit president Tinubu credentials wey e get from Chicago State University to prove say di president forge di documents e submit give di kontri electoral body, INEC before di election.

Unavailability of election results on IReV no be ground to cancel election
Di Supreme court rule say di non-availability of election results on di INEV Result Viewing Portal (IReV) no be ground to cancel di February 2023 presidential election.

Justice Inyang Okoro give di ruling for di appeals wey Peter Obi of di Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) file to challenge di Presidential Elections Petitions Court (PEPC) wey affirm say Bola Tinubu win di February 2023 presidential election.

E tok say e dey clear say di petition wey dey seek to nullify di election for noncompliance, no go only dey ready to prove how di non-compliance take affect di outcome of di election, but e must also dey ready to give evidence.

Justice Okoro tok say di petitioner no produce any original or certified true copy of di evidence dem want make di court rely on.

E add say di Electoral Act empower di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine di best method to use during an election.

Di judge hold say di non-availability of di presidential election results on top IReV Portal no affect di outcome of di election

25% of votes for di FCT no dey compulsory

Di Supreme Court bin uphold di ruling of di Appeal Court wey tok say a candidate no need to get at least 25 per cent of votes for di Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before dem fit declare as president of di kontri.

Justice Inyang Okoro agree wit di Appeal Court say FCT no get any special status.

E add say di constitution na for everyone and no be for some selected pipo.