The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking the disqualification of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima in the 25th February election.
In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel, headed by Justice James Abundaga, held on Friday that the PDP failed to establish that it had locus standi to institute the case.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, in an appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/108/2023, the PDP prayed the appellate court to reverse the 13th January judgement delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja which dismissed its suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked locus standi to have instituted the suit.
While the PDP was the appellant, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Tinubu and Shettima were respondents in the appeal.
In the suit filed on 28th July 2022, the PDP had challenged the validity of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for the 2023 presidential election. It argued that Shettima’s nomination as the running mate was in breach of the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35 and 84{1)}(2)} of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), claiming that Shettima had double nominations.
It claimed that when Shettima was nominated as a vice presidential candidate, he had not resigned or withdrawn his nomination as candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial poll. The party argued that Shettima’s nomination as a vice-presidential candidate, as well as the candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial seat, contravened the law.
Seeking an order disqualifying the APC, Tinubu and Shettima from contesting the presidential election, the PDP also prayed to the court for an order nullifying their candidacy.
It further sought an order compelling INEC to remove their names from its list of nominated or sponsored candidates eligible to contest the election.
In their preliminary objection, the defendants urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.
They contended that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to institute the case, which invariably challenged APC’s decision and its nomination of candidates for the election, which were within the confines of the party’s internal affairs and thus, non-justiciable.
Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Abundaga, which was affirmed by his brother-judges, agreed with the submissions of lawyers to the respondents, including Thomas Ojo of Lateef Fagbemi and Co. He described the PDP as a busy body, who dabbled into issues that were internal affairs of the APC.
Justice Abundaga held that the trial court was right to have held that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi.
“The appellant, having failed to disclose its locus standi, this appeal fails and it is hereby dismissed”, he said and proceeded to affirm the judgment of the Federal House of Court.
The judge also awarded N5 million cost against the appellant’s lawyer, James Olotu.
