The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal rejected claims against President Bola Tinubu’s election, citing non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. These allegations were presented by the Peoples Democratic Party and their candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Justice Stephen Adah, in his judgment, stated that the petitioners couldn’t validate their assertions that the election violated Sections 134 and 135 of the Electoral Act.
Adah emphasized the necessity of presenting adequate evidence to prove non-compliance. While the petitioners cited numerous paragraphs to highlight their grievances, the respondents, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, All Progressives Congress, and President Tinubu, refuted these claims.
Elaborating on the meaning of non-compliance, Justice Adah referred to the 2022 Electoral Act, which sets clear criteria for challenging elections. In his interpretation, both Sections 134 and 135 must be viewed jointly. Section 134 states the grounds on which an election can be challenged, and Section 135 highlights when an election can’t be invalidated due to non-compliance. Concluding his judgment, Justice Adah mentioned that such provisions concerning non-compliance have been a part of election laws for a long time.
