The Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal has fixed Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to declare judgment in the petition by Atiku Abubakar (PDP), and Peter Obi (Labour Party) which challenged the election of Bola Tinubu as president of the country.
It will be recalled that the 2023 presidential election saw Tinubu APC emerge winner with Atiku Abubakar in second place and Peter Obi in third place.
In light of this, both Obi and Atiku dragged Tinubu and the APC to court to contest the outcome of the presidential election.
However, this is not the first time the outcome of a presidential election is being contested.
In Nigeria, government and political offices are filled by means of elections, which are challenged by petitions if the validity of the election or the return of a candidate is in dispute.
Election petitions are governed by a specific electoral law, making them unique.
Section 288 of the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 regulate elections in Nigeria, while election petitions are also governed by the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act of 2022.
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Election petition tribunals are specialised courts that handle election cases, rather than regular courts.
Below is a compiled list of the outcomes of all presidential elections since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Olusegun Obasanjo vs Olu Falae
In 1999, Chief Olu Falae of the Action for Democracy (AD) lost his petition against former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s victory at the poll.
Olusegun Obasanjo vs Muhammadu Buhari
In 2003, former military dictator, Muhammadu Buhari, contested against Obasanjo on the platform of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and lost. He also lost at the court.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua vs Muhammadu Buhari
Buhari, again contested against Late Musa Yar’Adua for the position of Nigeria’s president in 2007 and lost. He lost in court as well.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan vs Muhammadu Buhari
Buhari took another chance in 2011 but this time, on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He was floored by former president Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Jonathan also won in court.
There was no petition against Buhari’s victory in 2015.
Muhammadu Buhari vs Atiku Abubakar
PDP’s Atiku Abubakar sought to upturn Buhari’s victory after the 2019 presidential election but lost.
Will the tribunal upturn Tinubu’s victory at the 2023 presidential election? Events of the next 24 hours
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