The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal has said that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has no special status over other 36 states of the federation over the 25% required votes in the presidential election held on February 25.
The court in its ruling on Wednesday says the FCT is not superior to any state.
The tribunal said the Labour Party’s “interpretation of 134(2)(b) of the constitution is completely fallacious, if not outrightly ridiculous.”
Section 134 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) stipulates that a presidential candidate must attain or score a majority of votes cast in a presidential election, where two or more candidates are involved, and at least 25% in two-thirds of the 36 States and FCT to meet the constitutional requirement to be declared as duly elected as President of Nigeria.
Recall that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party was the only candidate in the February 25th election with up to 25% votes in the FCT.
He won about 59 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT, which neither President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (19 per cent) nor Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (15 per cent) scored.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
