In the lawsuit brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on April 28, 2023, the plaintiffs claim that Senator Tinubu fell short of receiving at least 25% of the votes cast in the FCT.
Five Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents have filed a lawsuit against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) in response to the designation of Senator Bola Tinubu as the country’s next president.
In the lawsuit brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on April 28, 2023, the plaintiffs claim that Senator Tinubu fell short of receiving at least 25% of the votes cast in the FCT.
The plaintiffs, Anyaegbunam Okoye, David Adzer, Jeffrey Ucheh Osang Paul, and Chibuike Nwanchukwu, sued for themselves and on behalf of other citizens and registered voters in the FCT. They asked the court to determine “whether or not the person who is to be elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and consequently administrator of the FCT through the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority, on the date of the election, is
With eight million, seven hundred and ninety-four thousand, seven hundred and twenty-six votes, Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, was proclaimed the winner of the February 25, 3023 presidential election.
Additionally, the plaintiffs are asking for a declaration extending President Muhammadu Buhari’s term till the appointment of a replacement in compliance with the Constitution.
In the interim, they ask the court to revoke Senator Tinubu’s certificate of return and prohibit the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and other judicial officers from swearing in any presidential or vice-presidential candidates.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintains that a candidate must receive less than 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in order to be declared victorious since, contrary to what has been “erroneously” claimed, the FCT was not given any special status in the constitution.
