Heavy Security As Presidential Election Tribunal Decides Atiku, Peter Obi’s Petitions Against Tinubu

Ahead of today’s judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to determine who won the February 25 presidential election, security has been deployed to the Appeal Court, other flash points, and dark spots in Abuja.

The Tribunal will rule on the petitions filed by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate Peter Obi, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar challenging the election of President Bola Tinubu today in Abuja.

This is coming as anxiety, uncertainty, and hope pervade the country, as residents await the decision of the court.

SaharaReporters reported that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had on March 1 declared Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as the president-elect.

Yakubu had claimed that the APC candidate polled 8.8 million to defeat Atiku of PDP, who he said scored 6.9 million, the LP candidate, Obi, who he allocated 6.1 million, and 15 other candidates.

However, five of the 18 political parties that participated in the elections challenged the outcome of the polls.

Besides the PDP and the LP, other aggrieved parties included the Action Alliance, Action People’s Party, and the Allied Peoples Movement.

However, the Tribunal had earlier struck out some of the petitions after the Petitioners had withdrawn their petitions living PDP, LP, and one other petition.

Since the Tribunal announced it would deliver judgment on the election petitions challenging the election of President Tinubu, supporters of the PDP candidate and LP awaited the verdict with earnest expectations.

Supporters of the petitioners have been exchanging brickbats online even as they expressed optimism that the ruling would favour their candidates.

The PUNCH reports that scores of armed riot policemen, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security operatives in plainclothes had been deployed at strategic locations in the Federal Capital Territory in a bid to prevent a breach of law and order that might arise after the judgment.

The judgment will be delivered by the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Haruna Tsammani, assisted by other members of the panel-Justices Stephen Adah, Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Moses Ugo, and Abba Mohammed.

The proceedings will be held at the Court of Appeal, Three Arms zone, Abuja.

The Chief Registrar, Court of Appeal headquarters, Umar Bangari, had disclosed in a statement on Monday that the tribunal verdict would be delivered on Wednesday and aired live on television stations.

This, he noted, was to promote transparency and openness and for Nigerians to watch the proceeding.

Ahead of the proceedings, the authorities Monday carried out heavy deployments of security personnel across the FCT.

At about 6.50 pm, truckloads of policemen were brought to the Court of Appeal, and the police vehicles were used to barricade the court entrance while several policemen were also patrolling the city in vehicles.

A police team was seen taking instructions from their superiors shortly after they were brought to the court premises.

A court worker noted that in the memo sent to the staff informing them not to come to work on Wednesday, it was stated that there would be a heavy presence of security operatives around the court premises.

The official said, “Part of the reason workers were told not to come tomorrow (today) was that there would be a heavy presence of security operatives in strategic locations at the court premise.’’