Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has headed to the election tribunal to challenge the victory of Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the just-concluded presidential election.
In his petition filed on Monday, March 20, 2023, Atiku is alleging widespread irregularities and voter suppression during the election, which he believes undermined the democratic process and affected the outcome of the election. Atiku is calling on the tribunal to overturn the results and order a rerun.
The petition, which was filed on behalf of Atiku and the PDP, lists several grounds for challenging the election result, including “electoral malpractices, corrupt practices and non-compliance with the electoral act”.
Atiku, who served as Vice President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was considered one of the leading contenders in the election, which was held on Saturday, March 18th, 2023. However, he lost to Tinubu, who was declared the winner after securing most of the votes.
The petition is expected to be heard in the coming weeks, and the outcome could have far-reaching implications for the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
The PDP and its supporters have been calling for greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process. Many hope the tribunal will uphold their concerns and order a rerun of the election.
In addition to Atiku Abubakar’s challenge, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has also filed a petition before the Election Tribunal, urging the tribunal to void Bola Tinubu’s victory. The petition, which was filed on behalf of the Labour Party, alleges that the election was marred by widespread irregularities and calls for the disqualification of Tinubu over his drug trafficking conviction and other fraudulent practices.
This development has added another layer of complexity to the election dispute, with multiple candidates now challenging the legitimacy of Tinubu’s victory. The tribunal is expected to hear both petitions in the coming weeks, and the outcome could have significant implications for the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
Meanwhile, the APC has expressed confidence in the legitimacy of Tinubu’s victory and is urging Nigerians to accept the outcome of the election.
