2023 Presidential Polls: APC Mounts Pressure on Tribunal Over Peter Obi’s Petition, Makes Crucial Request
- The presidential election petition tribunal has been urged to dismiss all the petitions of Labour Party's Peter Obi against Bola Tinubu
- The call was made by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in a counter-petition before the tribunal
- APC said Obi, who was formerly a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was not a member of LP during the presidential polls
FCT, Abuja - Ahead of the much-anticipated Presidential Election Petition Tribunal's ruling, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked that the petition filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, be thrown out.
As reported by Channels TV online, the petition filed by the LP bannerman was faulted on many premises.
Source: Twitter
Some of the premises on which the APC countered Obi’s petition include him not being a bona fide member of LP during the election.
The APC opened an argument that the former Anambra State governor 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.
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Further argument from the APC holds that Obi partook in the screening exercise of the PDP that qualified him to automatically become a presidential aspirant under the flagship of the party.
The APC also submitted that Peter Obi resigned from his membership of the PDP on Thursday, May 26, 2022, and joined the Labour Party the following day, May 27 2022.
As reported by The Nigerian Tribune, APC argued that:
“The 2nd petitioner herein conducted its presidential primary on 30th May 2022, which produced the 1st petitioner as the candidate it intended to sponsor in the general election.”
Referencing Section 77(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, APC contended that the Labour Party was mandated to have submitted its comprehensive register of members to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 30 days before its presidential primary.
Hence, the said register of members must have been submitted to the 1st respondent (INEC) on or before April 30, 2022.
As of April 30, 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.
Labour Party and Peter Obi are challenging the victory of President-elect Bola Tinubu of APC, winner of the February 25 election, on the grounds of alleged non-qualification and non-compliance, among others.
2023 presidential election: Atiku finally reveals why Peter Obi left PDP
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has revealed why the Labour Party flagbearer Peter Obi left the PDP.
Atiku, the PDP presidential candidate in the February 25 elections, said Obi left the party for the LP due to the constant insults he got from Governor Wike.
The PDP flagbearer made the claim on Wednesday, March 25, in Abuja through one of his spokesmen, Phrank Shaibu.
Source: Legit.ng
