Six states drag FG to Supreme Court over Tinubu’s victory

Six states have dragged the federal government before the Supreme Court over the conduct, collation and announcement of the February 25, 2023, presidential and National Assembly elections.

The states are Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto.

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 void.

Their argument was that the declaration of the Presidential Election results by the INEC Chairman at the National Collation Centre in Abuja blatantly contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act.

According to them, they want a declaration that 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 were not in accordance with the provisions of the electoral act.

“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.”

Recall that INEC declared Tinubu as having won the presidential election on Wednesday, March 01, 2023 as well as issued him the certificate of return.