APA – Lagos (Nigeria) Five residents of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory of Abuja have instituted a court order urging that the swearing-in of Nigeria’s President-elect, Mr. Bola Tinubu, on May 29 be discontinued.
The suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday urged the court to stop the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, any other judicial officer and/or any other authority or person from swearing in any candidate in the February 25 presidential election as President or Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to the report by Punch newspaper, quoting national agency reports on Saturday, the order should remain until it is judicially determined with finality or in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution that such candidate has fulfilled the requirement of Section 134(2) (b) of the Constitution.
The five applicants —Anyaegbunam Okoye, David Adzer, Jeffery Ucheh, Osang Paul and Chibuike Nwachukwu—identified themselves as registered voters of Abuja.
The suit read in part that: “A declaration that no state of the country is at the same time the FCT (Abuja) for any purpose whatsoever, including, in particular, under section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution.
A declaration that no candidate in the February 25 presidential election in the country may validly be declared elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without that candidate obtaining at least 25% of the votes cast in the FCT, Abuja.
“A declaration that no candidate in the February 25 presidential election may validly be sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without such candidate having obtained 25% of the votes case in FCT, Abuja.
“A declaration that following the February 25 presidential election and until a successor is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and sworn in, the term of office of his Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria subsists and endures in accordance with the provisions of section 135 (1) (a) of the Constitution.”
The suit has the Attorney-General and Minister of justice as first respondent and the Chief Justice of Nigeria as second respondent in the matter, which is demanding “an order setting aside or suspending any declaration and/or issuance of a Certificate of a Return to any candidate in the February 25 presidential election in the country as having been elected, save and except it is judicially determined with finality that such candidate fulfilled the conditions stated in section 134(2) (b) of the Constitution.
It will be recalled that only the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, got 25 per cent of the votes cast by Abuja residents during the presidential polls as required by the Nigerian Constitution.
GIK/APA
