The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) has ruled that the Labour Party, LP’s presidential candidate Peter Obi failed to identify polling units with irregularities during the presidential election in February 2023, saying that the petition of election malpractice was generic.
The judgement was read on Wednesday by Justice Abba Mohammed.
“Pleading must set out material facts and particulars. In the instant petition, there was no effort to prove specific allegations, particulars of complaints,” the court held.
“It was only in one instance that figures were given of alleged suppressed votes and we all know that elections are about figures,” it maintained.
“The petitioners failed to state the number of votes affected and the number of people disenfranchised. They also failed to prove that their votes were suppressed by failing to specify the number of votes suppressed.
“The determination of the election is about figures,” the judge said.
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According to the court, the law is clear that where someone alleges irregularities in a particular polling unit, such person must prove the particular irregularities in that polling unit before that petition can succeed, the Tribunal added.
It further stated that the petitioners did not prove the particular polling units where the election did not take place nor did they specify particulars of polling units where there are alleged complainants of irregularities.
LP and its candidate Peter Obi are challenging INEC’s declaration of Bola Tinubu as the winner of the February presidential election, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reduced their scores and added it to All Progressives Congress (APC)’s votes.
Obi had prayed the tribunal to declare him winner of the February 14 election.
Similarly, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Atiku Abubakar petitioned the tribunal to declare him winner.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
