Voters In FCT Not More Special Than Those In Other States – President Tinubu Tells Tribunal

President Bola Tinubu has told the Presidential Election Tribunal not to annul the 2023 election because obtaining 25 percent of the votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja is a constitutional requirement for being elected as the country’s president. ( Sahara Reporters, July 17, 2023 ).

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) had declared Tinubu the winner of the February 25th presidential election, having polled 8,794,726 votes while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party came second and third respectively with 6,984,520 votes and 6,101,533 votes.

It should also be recalled that following the outcome of the election, Atiku and Obi alongside their respective parties proceeded to challenge the process as they filed Petition to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja. One of their argument is that Tinubu failed to secure 25% of the valid votes cast in the FCT, as stipulated by the Nigerian constitution.

But according to a report from Sahara Reporters, Tinubu through his lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun ( SAN ) argued that there is no superiority between the votes from voters secured in the most populous states and the least populous states.

“In concluding our arguments on this issue, we urge the court to hold that in any election where the electorate exercise their plebiscite, there is neither a ‘royal’ ballot nor ‘royal’ voter; and that residents of the FCT do not have any special voting right over residents of any other State of the federation, like the concepts of preferential shareholding in Company Law. We urge this court to resolve this issue against the petitioners and in favour of the respondent,” Olanipekun pleaded.

( Extracts from Sahara Reporters )

Chiazorkam (
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