The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, has been asked to dismiss the petition filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Mr Peter Obi, against the All Progressive Congress (APC) on the just concluded elections.
The Labour Party and its Presidential candidate Peter Obi are challenging the election victory of President-elect, Mr Ahmed Tinubu, of the APC, on grounds of alleged non-qualification and non-compliance, among others.
The All Progressives Congress, APC through notice of preliminary objections cited at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal by Voice of Nigeria is challenging Mr Peter Obi for lack of locus standing in instituting the petition on the ground that, Obi was not a valid member of the Labour Party at the time of the election.
The APC argued that the LP Presidential candidate was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until May 24, 2022, when he was screened as the party’s presidential aspirant in April 2023.
The APC noted that Mr Obi participated in PDP’s screening exercise and was cleared to contest the presidential election as an aspirant.
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The ruling Party further mentioned thatt Obi purportedly resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on 24th May 2022 to join the Labour Party on 27th, May 2022.
“That, the Labour Party conducted its presidential primary on 30th May 2022, which purportedly produced Obi as its candidate, which time contravened Section 77(3) of the Electoral Act for him to contest the primary election as a member of the Labour Party”.
APC also argued that Peter Obi was not a member of the Labour Party at the time of his alleged sponsorship in the party.
The APC among other grounds submitted that “by the mandatory provisions of Section 77 (1) (2) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2022, a political party shall maintain a register and shall make such register available to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not later than 30 days before the date fixed for the party primaries, congresses and convention.”
APC also submitted that Mr Peter Obi resigned his membership of the PDP on Thursday 26th May 2022 and joined the Labour Party the following day 27th May 2022.
The APC said, “the 2nd petitioner (Labour Party) herein conducted its presidential primary on 30th May 2022, which produced the 1st petitioner (Mr Peter Obi) as the candidate it intended to sponsor in the general election.”
The All Progressives Congress APC further submitted that “by Section 77(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the Labour Party is mandated to have submitted its comprehensive register of members to INEC, 30 days before its presidential primary, that is to say, the said register of members must have been submitted to the 1st respondent on or before 30th April 2022.
“As of 30th April 2022, Peter Obi was still a member of the PDP and his name was not and could not have been in the register of members submitted by the Labour Party to INEC.”
The Presidential candidate of Labour Party Mr Peter Obi, the 1st petitioner, and LP, the 2nd petitioner, had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President-Elect Senator Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shettima and APC as 1st to 4th respondents, respectively.
Emmanuel Ukoh
