Brave Dickson
The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit brought by the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar against the president and vice president elects, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.
The pre election suit which had sought to disqualify Tinubu and Shettima from contesting the last presidential election was dismissed by the trial federal high court, the Abuja Court of Appeal and now the Supreme Court.
Atiku had in his suit told the court that Shettima was nominated for senatorial election and later nominated for vice presidential candidacy which he said amounted to double nomination, adding that it contravened the law.
But in a unanimous five man panel judgment, the apex court dismissed Atiku’s appeal over locus standi, adding that the suit lacks merit.
The Supreme Court said the new Electoral Act bars political party from interfering in the internal affairs of another political party.
Adamu Jauro, a member of the panel who delivered the lead judgement, held that the PDP lacked the legal right to file a suit on an internal affair of APC.
“It should be noted that no political party can challenge the nomination of another political party.
“A political party lacks the right to challenge the activities of INEC on account of the nomination of another political party’s candidate.
“No court has the jurisdiction to entertain such suit by another party,” the court held.
Atiku of the PDP was listed in the suit as the appellant while INEC, APC, Tinubu and Shettima were the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents.
Our correspondent reports that both APC and PDP lawyers in the appeal, Batunde Ogala and Joe Agi all accepted the judgment in good faith.
