Supreme Court Braces for Intense Legal Clash Involving Tinubu, Atiku, Obi

In a highly anticipated legal showdown, the Supreme Court is poised to commence hearings today, Monday, on appeals brought forth by prominent Nigerian political figures. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) have collectively challenged the legitimacy of President Bola Tinubu from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This development follows a previous verdict from the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld President Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election. Atiku, Obi, and the APM have separately lodged appeals with the apex court, seeking to overturn this election outcome.

The Supreme Court conveyed the hearing date to all parties involved, issuing notices last Thursday. Atiku and Obi have expressed their disagreement with the tribunal’s decision and, in response, filed their appeals with the Supreme Court.

Notably, Atiku has additionally sought permission to present a copy of President Tinubu’s academic records, as released by the Chicago State University (CSU) in the USA. He claims that these documents indicate that Tinubu submitted a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Furthermore, the former vice president has initiated efforts to secure documents from a Washington, D.C. court related to President Tinubu’s $460,000 forfeiture case.

It’s essential to recall that on October 13, President Tinubu urged the Supreme Court to disregard the academic records from Chicago State University attached by Atiku Abubakar, asserting that this development was unrelated to the judicial proceedings in the country.

Tinubu argued that the CSU discovery was not part of the official record or judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, and he implored the apex court not to admit it. He further criticized Atiku for allegedly resorting to filing a petition first and then attempting to gather evidence, an accusation his legal team led by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, strongly maintained.

Observers are now eagerly awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on whether to admit this fresh evidence. Legal expert Mathew Abakpa of Rivers State has noted that the court’s acceptance of Atiku’s new evidence is legally feasible. However, he cautioned that the court’s subsequent actions with this evidence are a matter of significant uncertainty.