2023 Presidency: Fresh Twist On Tinubu’s Eligibility Emerges as Court Gives Crucial Order

2023 Presidency: Fresh Twist On Tinubu’s Eligibility Emerges as Court Gives Crucial Order

  • The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu has once again been cleared to contest in next month's polls
  • Justice Binta Nyako of the federal high court in Abuja dismissed a suit seeking his removal from INEC's list
  • According to the presiding judge, the suit filed by the plaintiff lacked the locus standi (legal right) to take such an action

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FCT, Abuja - The eligibility of Bola Tinubu to contest as the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in next month's presidential polls has once again been solidified.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, January 25, dismissed the application urging INEC to delist Tinubu from the list of candidates billed to contest in next month's presidential polls.

Bola Tinubu, Court, 2023 polls
Court dismisses case contesting Tinubu's eligibility as APC flagbearer. Photo: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Source: Twitter

Justice Binta Nyako, who presided over the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1960/2022 seeking the disqualification of Tinubu from the presidential race, said the litigant's application lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute the action.

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According to Justice Nyako, the litigant is not a registered member of the APC and therefore cannot initiate such action on Tinubu unless he/she is a bonafide member of the APC, Vanguard reported.

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Plaintiff filed a similar suit dismissed by the court

Justice Nyako, in her ruling, also disclosed that the plaintiff had filed a similar suit that was dismissed by the court because it lacked merit.

The court also accused the plaintiff of abusing the legal process by delving into a multiplicity of legal actions.

Justice Nyako held that the litigant had no legal rights to file the litigation because there was no need for consideration of such actions against the APC bannerman, Bola Tinubu.

Backed by the court's judgement, Tinubu will be entering next month's elections as one of the favourites who could clinch the presidential seat.

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However, Tinubu will have to fend off stiff competition from Peter Obi of the Labour Party who is widely loved by the youths, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose strength lies in the northern region of Nigeria.

2023: More drama erupts as APC responds to PDP’s attempts to get Tinubu disqualified

Similarly, Bola Tinubu and the All Progressive Congress (APC) are fighting wars on different grounds.

The APC has been in a heated war of words with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of next month's presidential polls.

Most recently, the PDP filed a suit seeking the disqualification of Bola Tinubu as APC's presidential candidate.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Segun Adeyemi avatar

Segun Adeyemi (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Segun Adeyemi is a journalist with over 9 years of experience as an active field reporter, editor, and editorial manager. He has had stints with Daily Trust newspaper, Daily Nigerian, and News Digest. He currently works as an editor for Legit.ng's current affairs and politics desk. He holds a degree in Mass Communication (Adekunle Ajasin University). He is a certified digital reporter by Reuters, AFP and the co-convener of the annual campus journalism awards. Email: segun.adeyemi@corp.legit.ng.