Nigeria’s top court begins hearing appeals against President Tinubu election victory
The Supreme Court of Nigeria started hearing the appeals filed by the country’s opposition challenging a September ruling that affirmed Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory in February’s presidential election.
The People’s Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who came second and third respectively, had asked the Presidential Election Petition Court to annul Tinubu’s victory.
The tribunal however dismissed the petitions.
Abubakar and Obi went ahead to file appeals against that ruling, saying justice had been denied in their case against the declaration of Tinubu as the duly elected president of Nigeria.
According to Nigeria’s electoral laws, an appeal at the Supreme Court should be filed within 14 days from the date of the tribunal ruling.
The apex court then has 60 days to hear the case and make its ruling.
Tinubu was sworn in on May 29 as the 16th president of the most populous African nation, after taking the oath of office at a ceremony in Abuja.
No legal challenge to the outcome of a presidential election has succeeded since the West African country returned to democracy in 1999.
