Reasons Supreme Court Awarded N2Million Against PDP Over Suit Seeking Disqualification Of Tinubu, Shettima

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has awarded a sum of two million naira (N2 million) against the Peoples Democratic Party, along with dismissing the party’s suit seeking the disqualification of ‘President-elect’ Bola Tinubu and ‘Vice President-elect’ Kashim Shettima.

 

The apex court’s ruling was over the alleged double nomination of Shettima during the 2023 general election.

 

The PDP and its candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar had approached the court to seek the disqualification of Tinubu and Shettima over the contending issue of double nominations, claiming that same violated Electoral Act.

 

But a five-member panel of the apex court on Friday held that the PDP is not a member of the APC and therefore lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.

 

Justice Adamu Jauro who read the judgement described the PDP’s action as meddlesome in the internal affair of the APC, which he is not part of.

 

The court, therefore, dismissed the case for lack of merit and awarded a sum of N2 million against the PDP. It noted that a political party cannot challenge the internal action of another party.

 

The PDP had based its appeal on the grounds that the appellate court erred in law when it dismissed its appeal and upheld a trial court’s decision that the litigation was incompetent and without merit.

 

According to the PDP, the ruling party broke the law by choosing Shettima as the senatorial candidate for Borno Central and vice-presidential candidate.

 

Tinubu and Shettima are scheduled to be sworn in as Nigeria’s next president and vice president on May 29 as things stand.