Election court validates Tinubu’s presidency

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on Wednesday dismissed two out of three petitions challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu in the February 2023 presidential election. The court upheld Tinubu’s election as president of Nigeria, saying that the petitions lacked merit and evidence.

The PEPC, however, ruled that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations beyond a reasonable doubt and that Tinubu met the constitutional requirements to be elected president. The court also said that there was no evidence that Tinubu was born outside Nigeria or that he forged his certificate.

The court’s judgement was welcomed by Tinubu’s supporters and party members, who celebrated outside the court premises and across the country. Tinubu, who is Nigeria’s fifth president since the return to democracy in 1999, said he was humbled by the verdict and called for unity and peace among Nigerians.

“I thank God Almighty for this day and for this victory. I thank the Nigerian people for entrusting me with this mandate. I thank the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and the will of the people. I thank my party, the APC, for standing by me throughout this journey. I thank my family, friends, and well-wishers for their prayers and support,” Tinubu said in a statement.