Supreme Court reserves ruling in Atiku Obi’s appeals against Tinubu
The Supreme Court says it will inform parties of the date to deliver its judgment on the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s, appeal.
Obi is challenging President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 2023 presidential poll.
The justices hearing the appeal are Justices John Inyang Okoro, Uwani Aji, Mohammed Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Abubakar Tijjani, and Emmanuel Agim.
Obi’s counsel, Livy Uzoukwu, urged the court to hear the appeal, but INEC’s lawyer, Mahmoud, countered, saying it lacked merit.
President Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, and that of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Akin Olujinmi, urged the court to dismiss the appeal.
In a similar vein, the Peoples Democratic Party’s counsel, Chris Uche, urged the court to hear fresh evidence against President Tinubu.
“The issue involving Mr. Tinubu’s certificate is a weighty, grave, and constitutional one, which the Supreme Court should admit. I urge the court to admit the fresh evidence of President Tinubu’s academic records from CSU presented by Atiku.
The Supreme Court must take a look at Mr. Tinubu’s records and reach a decision devoid of technicality,” he said.
However, INEC’s lawyer, Mahmoud, urged the apex court to dismiss Atiku’s application. Equally, President Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, made a similar request to the court. Olanipekun said that the Chicago State University depositions being relied upon by Atiku’s team are dormant until the deponent testifies before the Supreme Court.
