Category: News

Seven States of the Federation have dragged the Federal Government before the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the last February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The seven states who instituted the suit through their Attorneys General are Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Taraba and Sokoto.

The suit was filed pursuant to section 6 (6)14(3), 153(2) and 252 of the 1999 Constitution and inherent jurisdiction of the Apex Court.

They are asking the Supreme Court to invoke relevant provisions of the law to annul the poll based on alleged irregularities and malpractices.

The States want the apex court to declare that the pronouncement of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as winner of the February 25 presidential election and president-elect based on that election be voided by the court.

They are seeking “A declaration that the entire results of the Presidential Election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023 announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, in flagrant violation of the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were invalid, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

“A declaration that the fundamentally flawed electoral process through the non-uploading of the results of each of the 176,974 Polling Units nationwide, in respect of the presidential election and National Assembly Elections held on Saturday, 25th February 2023 were not in accordance with the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.”

In addition, they are seeking “A declaration that the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after the counting and announcement of the Polling Units results on 25th of February, 2023 in collusion, violates the provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.”

They are also seeking an order of the apex court “directing a holistic review of all results so far announced by the Federal Government of Nigeria through INEC which were carried out other than through the manner prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials.

“And for such further Orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

The plaintiffs also brought an application praying the apex court for an order directing a departure from the rules of the apex court in the interest of justice by directing for accelerated hearing of the substantive suit.

Besides, the plaintiffs also filed another application seeking for an order for abridging time for parties to file and serve responses for and against the suit. No date has been fixed for hearing.

The plaintiffs in the originating summons marked: SC/CV/354/2023, are specifically asking for an order of the apex court, “directing a holistic review of all results so far announced by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which were carried out other than through the manner prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials”.

The suit filed by the Attorneys General of Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto States has the Attorney General of the Federation as sole respondent and was brought pursuant to Sections 6 (6) (a), 14 (2) (b), 153 (1) (F) and 232 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended); 2. Sections 25 (1), (2) and 3; Sections 60 And 66 Of The Electoral Act, 2022.

They predicated their case on the grounds that, “The collation of the national election results from the 36 States of the Federation, and that of the Federal Capital Territory, for the said 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections have not been carried out in compliance with the mandatory provisions of relevant sections of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022, made pursuant to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023.”

According to the suit filed on February 28, by their lawyers, Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the agents and officials of the federal government and INEC, failed to transmit the collated result as prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials requiring transmission of the results by the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in flagrant breach of the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023.

It was their submission that the, “Non-compliance with the due process of law has led to a widespread agitation, violent protests, displeasure, and disapproval from a wide spectrum of the Nigerian populace, including international observers, political parties, well-meaning Nigerians and former Head of States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

They further claimed that the widespread violent protests, demonstrations and rallies endangered the peace, order, good governance, security and safety of the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs argued that the federal government through INEC, “is empowered by law to correct the elections due to technical glitches and errors arising from the conduct of the elections with substantial effect on the electoral process in line with the provisions of Section 47 (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022; and other relevant sections thereof.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria has nonetheless continued to collate results for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, against the provisions of extant Electoral laws and Guidelines, notwithstanding the fundamental flaws identified in the process of the collation of results and the public outcry that has greeted the entire electoral process.

“Whilst queries were being raised as to the failure or deliberate refusal of INEC to transmit the results electronically, INEC suddenly pulled down its portal harbouring the Regulations and Guidelines, thus leaving the plaintiffs in the dark.

“Most Nigerians, including the governments and peoples of Adamawa State, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo State, and Sokoto State, are entitled to a proper and electoral lawful process and procedure that guarantees a free, fair, transparent and credible election.

“There is no justifiable basis for the ongoing collation of results without compliance with the mandatory provisions of the law that mandatorily require the use of BVAs, electronic transmission to the IRev Portal.

“Unless this Honourable court intervenes, the Governments and peoples of Adamawa State, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo State, and Sokoto State, who have suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable hardship and damage of unquantifiable proportions by being denied the opportunity to participate fairly in a free, transparent, fair and credible election, which can lead to a breakdown of law and order and thus endanger the public peace, security, safety, order and good governance, consequent upon the violent demonstrations and protests that have already started to take place in different parts of the country, including the Plaintiff States, as a result of the fundamentally flawed electoral process, which does not represent the wishes of Nigerians and of the plaintiff states,” they submitted.

Amongst the issues raised for determination by the apex court were: Whether having regard to the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023 thereof, the electronic transmission of votes collated at polling units and the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the transmission of collated result is made mandatory.

“Whether by virtue of the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, the Federal Government of Nigeria through presiding officers of its executive body, Independent National Electoral Commission was bound to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in the course of the General Elections held on the 25th of February, 2023 throughout the Federation.

“Whether the Federal Government of Nigeria in the recently held Presidential and National Assembly elections conducted nationwide on 25th February, 2023 through INEC, complied with the mandatory provisions of extant laws, INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Presidential Elections, 2022.

“Whether the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Defendant and INEC to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after the counting and announcement of the Polling Units results on 25th of February, 2023, violates the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.

“Whether the failure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through INEC to comply with the provisions of Section 60 of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines for Conduct of Elections, 2022 made pursuant to the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the FRN, 1999, as amended, in collating and announcing the results of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections render the already announced results and the elections conducted as a whole a nullity.

“Whether the entire results of the presidential election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023, as announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja in flagrant provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were valid.”

In the event the questions raised were determined in their favour, plaintiffs urged the apex court to then declare, “that the Federal Government of Nigeria, through INEC was bound to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in the course of the General Elections held on the 25th of February, 2023 throughout the Federation in compliance with the provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.”

(Channels TV)

The Supreme Court on Friday nullified the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which has thrown the nation into economic chaos in the last few weeks.

The US Department of State spokesperson, Ned Price, congratulated Mr Tinubu and all political leaders on the results of the presidential election.

He described the election as competitive and representing a new period for Nigerian politics and democracy.

“Each of the top three candidates was the leading vote-getter in 12 states, a remarkable first in Nigeria’s modern political era, reflecting the diversity of views that characterized the campaign and the wishes of Nigeria’s voters,” Mr Price said in a statement.

He acknowledged that many Nigerians and some of the parties have expressed frustration about the manner in which the process was conducted and the shortcomings of technical elements that were used for the first time in a presidential election cycle.l

“Nigerians are clearly within their rights to have such concerns and should have high expectations for their electoral processes. We join other international observers in urging INEC to improve in the areas that need the most attention ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections,” Mr Price added.

He encouraged parties seeking to challenge the outcome of elections to utilise well-established mechanisms in place for the adjudication of electoral disputes; adding that all parties, candidates, and supporters should refrain from violence or inflammatory rhetoric at this critical time.

In a separate congratulatory message, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly commended Nigerian voters for their participation, patience and resilience in exercising their democratic rights.

“We note the position of opposition parties on the election outcome and the concerns expressed by observer missions and civil society about the organisation of the process, including delays and technical challenges,” Mr Cleverly said.

He encouraged the authorities to examine all concerns carefully, take action to resolve outstanding issues and focus on delivering the will of the Nigerian people.

Grievances

The PDP and the LP on Tuesday called for the cancellation of the results. They made their positions known at a press conference attended by their vice-presidential candidates, Ifeanyi Okowa and Datti Baba-Ahmed, respectively.

“The election was a sham, and never free and fair,” said Mr Okowa of the PDP, a position corroborated by the LP’s vice-presidential candidate.

Their main grouse is that INEC failed to upload the results of elections in the over 170,000 polling units onto a central server (IReV) as required by law. That step should have been done before the collation and announcement of results, they said.

At the press conference, the two parties also demanded that the chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, must step aside over what they described as electoral irregularities and malfeasance. INEC has since replied, saying its chairman would not resign and that any party aggrieved with the election process should follow the law to air its grievances.

(Premium Times)

Frank Nweke Jr, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance has debunked rumours of his withdrawal from the gubernatorial race, calling it the work of political desperados determined to keep Enugu in a web of lies and ineptitude.

In a statement released to the press on Thursday, March 2, 2023, the leading governorship candidate said the upsurge in misinformation, malignment, and outright fake news against him within 72 hours was a testament to the acceptance of his message of awakening in Enugu State.

Apart from the news of his withdrawal, he noted that other claims of his congratulatory message to Tinubu and the purported assertion to approve ranches for herdsmen upon winning the election were both lies.

“Their anger is that the citizens have woken up and are ready to take back our State. Through my campaign, I have not, and I will not engage in their politics of character assassination and bitterness.

“Instead, I will focus on how Enugu will have water, how Enugu will be clean, how our roads will be smooth, how our youths can begin to dream again, how technology will be harnessed for the progress of everyone. My focus is on getting ndi Enugu to know that the Okuko Igbo symbol on the ballot paper is where their fingerprint must go on March 11”, he stated.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has described the last Saturday presidential and National Assembly elections as the worst since 1999.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku said the dreams and aspirations of Nigeria that voted on Saturday have been shattered by the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which failed woefully in the conduct of the elections.

He said the 2023 general elections was the worst election conducted since the return of democracy in 1999, adding that what happened was a rape of Democracy.

Atiku said having consulted with party leaders, he had come to the conclusion that the process was fraudulent and would be challenged by the PDP and all.

According to him, the battle to right the wrong is not about him but about Nigerians and the future of its youths, adding that many Nigerians are traumatized by the outcome of the election.

“It is my hope that the judiciary will redeem itself. At the end it is not about who wins but the the legitimacy of our democracy. We will not watch why the rights of Nigerians are taken from them,” he said.

The flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s just-concluded presidential election, Peter Obi says he won the poll and he will explore all legal options to reclaim his mandate.

“We will explore all legal and peaceful option to reclaim our mandate. We won the election and we will prove it to Nigerians,” Obi said at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja.

“I am challenging the process,” Obi declared to a room full of journalists at Nigeria’s capital city, his first media appearance after the declaration of a winner by the electoral umpire.

“This is very unfair. It is the least expected of Nigeria,” he said.

Just at the commencement of the briefing, Obi observed a one-minute silence for all injured and deceased victims of the February 25 poll.

Also in attendance at the briefing is the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure; as well as the director general of Obi’s presidential campaign, Akin Osuntokun.

He also said himself and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed remain committed to a new Nigeria.

He effusively thanked his youthful followers known as ‘Obidients’, urging them not to be deterred by the outcome of the polls.

“We will work for that new Nigeria that is possible,” he said. “Datti and I remain committed to that new Nigeria.”

Obi assured youths in the country that he is not going away but will stay and work for a new Nigeria.

He said the poll did not meet the minimum standard for a free and fair election, adding that the poll will go down as the most controversial election conducted in Nigeria.

Obi lamented that Nigeria cannot conduct election 63 years after independence.

(Channels TV)

It is not the best of times for five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) known as the G5 as three of the ‘Integrity Group’ failed in their quests to cross over to the Senate after their two-term tenure of eight years each.

The G5 is made up of five PDP governors — Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).

The five governors formed an alliance after the party’s presidential primary in May 2022, to demand that the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu step down for a southern replacement as a precondition to support the presidential ambition of the party’s flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar in the February 25 poll. Both Atiku and Ayu called the governors’ bluff and did not succumb to their demands in the just-concluded elections.

For the presidential election, Atiku lost in all the G5 states while Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi won Enugu and Abia, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) raked in Oyo, Benue and Rivers.

Of the G5, Ortom, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and Wike are two-term governors while Makinde is a single-term governor who is contesting the March 11, 2023 governorship poll and hopes to return to office for another four years.

Interestingly, Ortom, Ikpeazu, and Ugwuanyi attempted to cross over to the Senate which has been described as a ‘retirement home’ for former governors but the trio lost their senatorial bid in the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

With the defeat of three of his comrades, all eyes are now on Makinde come March 11. Would he pull through and break the chain of defeat suffered in the G5? Only time will tell.

But for now, this is how Ortom, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu lost their senatorial bid:

Ortom

Ortom lost his election bid for Benue North West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

He lost to his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart in the district, Titus Zam.

The APC candidate polled 143,151 while the PDP scored 106,882 and the Labour Party 51,950.

Interestingly, Zam was an appointee of Ortom in his first tenure from 2015 to 2019, where he served as the Special Adviser to the governor on local government and chieftaincy affairs before he resigned from the Ortom administration on loyalty grounds.

Ugwuanyi

Ugwuanyi lost his bid to represent Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

Ugwuanyi was defeated by Okechukwu Ezea of the Labour Party in the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday.

While Ezea scored 104,948 votes to emerge the winner, Ugwuanyi came second with 46,948 votes.

Ugwuanyi has been governor of Enugu state since 2015 and his eight-year constitutional limit will end in May. He was a member of the House of Representatives before being elected governor in 2015.

Ikpeazu

Similarly, Ikpeazu lost his bid to represent Abia South Senatorial District in the forthcoming 10th National Assembly. The outgoing governor polled 28,422 and lost to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who polled 49,693.

Similarly, four other outgoing governors failed in their attempts to cross over to Nigeria’s Senate after their two-term tenure of eight years each. They are Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Ben Ayade (Cross River), and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi).

Already, Governors David Umahi (Ebonyi) and Abubakar Bello (Niger) won Saturday’s parliamentary election. Ex-governors who won senatorial seats so far include Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) and Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom).

Though results are still trickling in for the presidential and National Assembly, surprises abound as newcomers are poised to unseat some ‘NASS landlords’ who have been in the red and green chambers consistently for the past 24 years.

(Channels TV)

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, said they will seek redress in court.

They all spoke Sunday after the declaration of Tinubu as president-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP described Tinubu’s victory as “a grave injustice which will not stand.”

Senator Dino Melaye, spokesman and Director Public Affairs of the PDP Presidential Campaign Committee, in a terse statement on Wednesday evening, said there will be no going back on the battle to retrieve the mandate which he called a “stolen one.”

Melaye said: “A clarion call on all Atiku’s supporters all over the world not to be perturbed. Weeping may tarry till night but joy cometh in the morning.

“This grave injustice shall not stand. The battle to retrieve our stolen mandate is a battle of no retreat, no surrender. We shall overcome,” he said.

We’ll contest defeat through legal means – Obi

Obi on the other hand, has said he would contest Tinubu’s victory through legal and peaceful means.

He said this on Wednesday in Abuja at a press conference addressed by his running mate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed.

“On behalf of our presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, I address you all and indeed all Nigerians on the current situation in the country following the announcement of the purported result of the presidential election held on Saturday, February 25th 2023.

“Please be assured of our determination to fight the injustice that has been perpetrated on Nigerians through all legal and peaceful means. It is our position that the purported result did not meet the minimum criteria of a transparent, free and fair election,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He, however, thanked all Nigerians for their belief in them and for coming out en masse to vote for the Labour Party and for the cause they believed in, which he said was the birth of a new Nigeria.

I’ll be fair to all – Tinubu

But while the major contenders in the election were expressing their grievances, President-elect Tinubu has pledged to be fair to all Nigerians irrespective of political or religious differences.

He made the pledge yesterday in Abuja after receiving his certificate of return alongside his running mate, Kashim Shettima, from INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

Yakubu, in the early hours of Wednesday, declared Tinubu and Shettima victorious.

He said Tinubu polled a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat his main rival, Atiku who recorded 6,984,520 votes and Obi who polled 6,101,533 votes to come second and third respectively.

NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

Tinubu said: “The road has been long yet we walked it. The battle has been hard fought, yet we won it. But more importantly, I realise that I am just a servant of a larger purpose. At its most sublime, this certificate also symbolises that each of you has the ability to achieve what others believe is impossible for you to achieve.

“I stand before you the president-elect, and yes that is special. But I am no different than anyone of you. If I can do this you can do better. Our destiny as a people and nation depends on our ability to shed the artificial restrictions of bias and prejudice so that we live fully unto our democratic creed that no one is innately superior or entitled to greater rights and opportunities than any other Nigerian.

“Very soon, this nation shall witness a young person standing before you holding this great symbol of democracy and national leadership. We shall see a woman standing before you, holding this certificate as its owner. We shall experience someone from a tribe that many people have tried to dismiss as somehow beginning, disqualified for this high office.

“By dint of hard work, determination and unyielding belief in a noble endeavour, you can achieve the best of things. There are young people listening to me right now who shall one day be the leaders of our precious and exceptional democratic republic. Thus, by taking this certificate, I assume a sacred duty I shall never ignore,” Tinubu said.

Shortly after receiving his certificate, Tinubu headed for Daura in Katsina State where he met with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said there were jubilant scenes at the home of President Buhari, on Wednesday evening, when Tinubu and Vice President-elect Shettima made a triumphant entry into the private residence in Daura, with each of them brandishing their certificates of return.

Shehu said the president, who was apparently overcome with a lot of emotions, seeing the “phenomenal election result,” kept repeating, “My Good Lord, My Good Lord,” “Fantastic, “We are very lucky,” as he warmly clasped the hands of the president-elect.

President Buhari also said: “There were no problems. No blood shed, no accidents. We have God Almighty to thank for this.”

He said he was pleased that the people chose the APC and its candidates, affirming through this, their desire that the momentum of development under the administration continues.

While fielding questions from State House reporters after the visit, Tinubu said no matter how provocative a defeat was, it must be tolerated by democrats trying to build a nation.

Tinubu, who commended the president for supporting democracy in Africa, said he was following the process, building a successor and ready to hand over peacefully.

On congratulatory messages, Tinubu said: “Oh very many, many of that in fact as far as Europe; the stock market reacted positively well. There was a goodwill message from Macron, the president of France.”

Tinubu and Shettima were accompanied to Daura by the National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the founding chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, as well as the governors of Katsina, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Lagos and Jigawa.

Other were governors of Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Ogun and the former governor of Borno, Ali Modu Sheriff and that of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari.

There were also ministers of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare and Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Earlier in the morning, Buhari said in a separate statement that the election demonstrated democracy’s continued relevance and capability to deliver for the people it served.

The president, however, said candidates that could prove the fraud they claimed was committed against them should present the evidence in courts and not on the streets.

“If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept,” he said.

Buhari said though there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results, none of the issues registered represented a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.

He said any resort to protests meant that they were “not doing it in the interest of the people, but rather to inflame, to put people in harm’s way for personal selfish gains.”

(Daily Trust)

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has congratulated President-elect Bola Tinubu on the heels of the just concluded presidential election.

Both the UK and Nigeria share a longstanding relationship that has withstood the latter’s over-62-year independence from the former.

“Congratulations to @officialABAT on his victory in Nigeria. The UK-Nigeria relationship remains strong,” Sunak tweeted on Wednesday evening.

“I look forward to working together to grow our security and trade ties, opening up opportunities for businesses and creating prosperity in both our countries.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner in the small hours of Wednesday morning.

After a hard-fought battle, on February 25, 70-year-old Tinubu, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), claimed the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Abubakar, 76, who has now run for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented finished the race with 6,101,533.

(Channels TV)

Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been declared the winner of the presidential election.

Mahmood Yakubu, chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results in the wee hours of Wednesday.

Yakubu said Tinubu secured a total of 8,794,726 votes.

Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had the second-highest figure with 6,984,520 votes, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) was next with 6,101,533 votes.

“I now perform my responsibility as chief returning officer of the federation,” the INEC chair said.

“I, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, hereby certify that I am the returning officer for the 2023 general election. The election was contested.

“That Tinubu Bola Ahmed of the APC, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned.”

Yakubu added that the issuance of the certificate of return to Tinubu will take place at 3pm on Wednesday.

See the full breakdown of the result below.

A – 61,014

AA – 14,542

AAC – 14,608

ADC – 81,919

ADP – 43,924

APC – 8,794,726

APGA – 61,966

APM – 25,961

APP – 12,839

BP – 16,156

LP – 6,101,533

NNPP – 1,496,687

NRM – 24,869

PDP – 6,984,520

PRP – 72,144

SDP – 80,267

YPP – 60,600

ZLP – 77,665

(INEC)

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have instituted a suit to restrain the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from doing anything to stop the collation and announcement of the results of the February 25 presidential election.

In the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Kano and marked FHC/KN/CS/43/2023, the Action Alliance and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were joined as defendants while the Vice Presidential of the APC, Kashim Shettima, was also listed as plaintiff.

The plaintiffs in a motion on notice filed alongside the originating summons, asked the court to make the order restraining the defendants from stopping the collation and announcement of the results because “damages will not adequately compensate for the injury that may be occasioned on the Plaintiffs if by the Defendants stop the collation of the result.”

Both LP and PDP have called for a cancellation of the election over widespread violence, alleged rigging, intimidation of voters, doctoring of the results, and violation of the laid down electoral process which was communicated by the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They also lamented the non-use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for transmitting results of the February 25, 2023 election and asked Prof Mahmood Yakubu to step down as INEC chairman.

But Yakubu defended the election and asked aggrieved politicians to head for the court.

(Daily Trust)