Fresh move to stop swearing-in of Tinubu as President

A new application has been submitted to the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to prevent the swearing-in of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President of Nigeria.

The plaintiffs, five residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/578/2023.

The plaintiffs applied for an order restraining the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, any other judicial officer, or any other authority or person from swearing in any candidate in the February 25 presidential election as President or Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The plaintiffs want “a declaration that no state of the country is at the same time the FCT for any propose whatsoever, including, in particular, under section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution.

“A declaration that no candidate in the February 25 presidential election in the country may validly be declared elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without that candidate obtaining at least 25% of the votes cast in the FCT, Abuja.

“A declaration that no candidate in the February 25 presidential election may validly be sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without such candidate having obtained 25% of the votes case in FCT, Abuja."

The plaintiffs further want a declaration that they and other FCT residents have a legal interest and constitutional rights to be heard on the question of whether a President-elect must secure at least 25% of votes cast, on the first ballot, in the FCT, Abuja.

Background

Tinubu was declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform and is scheduled to be sworn in on May 29, 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, candidates from other parties have contested that Tinubu did not win the presidential poll. Amid ongoing proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, the plaintiffs have approached the Abuja chapter of the Federal High Court to prevent the event from taking place.