The Supreme Court has announced that it will deliver its judgment on Thursday, October 26, in the appeals lodged by presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Both candidates are contesting the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Court, which upheld the electoral victory of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Festus Akande, the Director of Information at the Supreme Court, confirmed this date following a recent hearing before a seven-member panel of justices.
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Atiku and Obi are challenging the outcome of the presidential election on various grounds, including substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, allegations of Tinubu’s dual citizenship, and his purported failure to secure 25% of the votes in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a twist, Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigerian Vice President, is also seeking to introduce academic records from President Bola Tinubu’s time at Chicago State University. Atiku believes that these records could potentially reveal forgery, further complicating matters for Tinubu.
However, there has been a notable lack of trust expressed by Nigerians in the apex court. This skepticism is largely attributed to previous rulings that have raised questions about the court’s reputation.
The recent scrutiny of Chicago State University’s letters regarding Tinubu’s academic records has added to the skepticism. Justice John Okoro, Chairman of the 7-member panel, noted about the letters, “But in this case, there are two conflicting letters from the CSU – one authenticating the president’s certificate and another discrediting it. Which do we rely on?”
Many Nigerians perceive this as an attempt by the court to find technicalities to dismiss the case.
In a previous ruling by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) in July, all charges brought by Atiku and Peter Obi challenging Tinubu’s victory were dismissed, leading to widespread criticism and claims of a miscarriage of justice.
The perceived lack of trust in the judiciary is not confined to this case alone. Past rulings, such as the declaration of Hope Uzodinma as the winner of the 2019 Imo State governorship election, despite coming fourth in the polls, have also contributed to the skepticism.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court’s decision to return Ahmad Lawan to the Senate, despite not participating in the party’s primary election, has raised further doubts about the court’s impartiality.
Against this backdrop, there is a prevailing belief that the Supreme Court is hastening its judgment on the certificate forgery case against Tinubu, possibly to issue a favorable ruling to the embattled president. The choice of October 26 for the judgment is viewed by some as a calculated move to shield Tinubu from potential criminal indictments that the files the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is anticipated to release later this month will bring.
While Nigerians await the Supreme Court’s decision, the credibility and transparency of the country’s judicial institutions continue to be the focus of intense public debate and concern.