President Bola Tinubu has warned members of the presidential elections tribunal that removing him as president could lead to a breakdown of law and order in Nigeria.
In his final written address to the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, Tinubu admitted his failure to score 25 per cent of votes cast in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, but said it was insufficient to overturn his victory as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“Any other interpretation different from this will lead to absurdity, chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the legislature,” Mr Tinubu’s lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun said in their final defence statement to the court.
The lawyers were specifically addressing a section of the Nigerian Constitution that said a presidential candidate must score 25 per cent of votes in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, or Abuja.
Tinubu said he only failed to secure 25% in the FCT by only 6.01%
“…assuming without conceding that the FCT is independent of the other States of the federation, the percentage of 18.99% of votes scored by the 2nd respondent at FCT, only falls short of 25% by 6.01.”
Public commentary has been rife about the intention of the clause after Mr Tinubu won the highest number of votes in a three-way presidential race in February but failed to score 25 per cent in the FCT.
Mr Tinubu’s team said courts have always been careful about giving extreme interpretation of the Constitution that could spark chaos.
“Our courts have always adopted the purposeful approach to the interpretation of our Constitution, as exemplified in a host of decisions,” the team said.
They also said Mr Tinubu would still have won the election even if he didn’t score anything in Abuja and one other state, although this was not the argument of petitions, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of Labour Party.
“Even if there was no election in one State (including the FCT), or even if the election of a State/States (including the FCT) is/are voided, the entire election cannot be voided or canceled.
“In concluding our arguments on this issue, we urge the court to hold that any election where the electorate exercise their plebiscite, there is neither a ‘royal’ ballot nor ‘royal’ voter; and that residents of the FCT do not have any special voting right over residents of any other State of the federation, in a manner similar to the concepts of preferential shareholding in Company Law.
“We urge this court to resolve this issue against the petitioners and in favour of the respondent,” the lawyers said.
This is clear and intimidation of the judiciary by the pretender to the throne of the presidency. The entire presentation of Olanipekun was dead on arrival. Even if Tinubu scored 24.99%, it is not still 25%. Therefore, the justices should go ahead to dispense justice without fear or favour.
Is he, Tinunu, the one to tell the tribunal what to rule? Let the law rule whether anarchy or not. Should the tribunal change the law at this point because of the anticipated violence? No!
Argument by intimidation is form of fallacy. The judges should do their work without fear or favour. Let justice prevail.
The whole world must see this act of Judicial intimidation in Nigeria. INEC chairman must be held accountable for the presidential anticipated Anarchy.
It is unconscionable that Tinubu’s lawyers were shamelessly persuading the Judges to decide the election petition out-with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The international community is eagerly waiting and watching.
Comments like these are what trigger violence. It is a silent command to his followers to resist any attempt by the tribunal not to play the game.
There could also just be anarchy too if the followers of the petitioners feel cheated.
In all, our security agencies should be up and doing.
The international community is watching and waiting.
Nothing will happen, the general public will be happy. Let him just resign or wait for the court to give their judgment. He should tell his supporters to allow peace to reign knowing full well that Apc didn’t win the 2023 presidential election. He should not tell court what to do, neither is it in his position to tell Nigerians what will happen if he is been removed from ASO ROCK.
The presidency is still awaiting because the case is in the court. Let Mr. Tinubu not parade himself as if he is the owner of Nigeria. Court please be take your jugdement, many Nigerians don’t want Tinubu.
Believe me if there will anarchy if the tribunal fails to deliver fair judgement. having tinubu as president of Nigeria is chaos already