By Jude Opara & Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja

 The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday asked the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, to declare him the winner of the February 25 poll or order a rerun between him and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

In the alternative, he wants the entire election nullified and a fresh one conducted.

These are the key reliefs being sought in the petition filed for him and the main opposition PDP.

They are challenging the election on four grounds which are not limited to claims the election of Tinubu, is invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

That his election as President-elect, Is invalid by reason of Electoral corrupt practices.

The petition also stated that Tinubu was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the election, and at the time of the election, he was not qualified to contest the election.

They are also praying to the court for the following:

That it may be determined that the President-Elect was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast in the election and therefore the declaration and return of him by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  as the winner of the presidential election, is unlawful, wrong, unconstitutional, and void and of no effect whatsoever.

They also want it determined that the return of Tinubu by INEC, was unlawful, having not satisfied the requirements of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which mandatorily requires that he scores nothing less than one quarter (25 percent) of the lawful votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

That it should be determined that Tinubu was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest the said election.

That it Should be determined that Atiku Abubakar, having scored the majority of lawful votes cast at the Presidential election, be returned as the winner of the said election and be sworn in as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In the alternative, however, they are asking the court for an order directing INEC to conduct a second election (run-off) between Tinubu and Atiku.

As a further alternative, that the election to the office of the President of Nigeria held on 25th February 2023 be nullified and a fresh election (re-run) be ordered.

The constitution allows the courts 180 days to make a ruling on election matters and plaintiffs can then appeal to the Supreme Court.

Abubakar, who was on his sixth bid for the presidency, also challenged the results in 2019 when he lost against incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Supreme Court dismissed his fraud claims months later.

US Vows Sanctions Against Polls Saboteurs

The United States (US) government said it will consider “all available actions” against those who undermined the just concluded elections in Nigeria.

The US said it is deeply disturbed by cases of voter intimidation and the use of ethnically charged rhetoric during the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections held on March 18.

In a statement, the United States Mission in Nigeria called on the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to ensure those that aided voter suppression are brought to book.

“The United States is deeply troubled by the disturbing acts of violent voter intimidation and suppression that took place during those polls in Lagos, Kano, and other states,” the statement reads.

“Members of the US diplomatic mission observed the elections in Lagos and elsewhere and witnessed some of these incidents first-hand.  The use of ethnically charged rhetoric before, during, and after the gubernatorial election in Lagos was particularly concerning.

“We call on Nigerian authorities to hold accountable and bring to justice any individuals found to have ordered or carried out efforts to intimidate voters and suppress voting during the election process.

“The United States likewise will consider all available actions, including additional visa restrictions, on individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Nigeria.”

While the Presidential and National Assembly polls held on February 25, the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections were conducted on March 18.

Following the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the presidential poll, opposition parties called for the cancellation of the exercise.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party and two other parties have already filed petitions at the election tribunal to challenge the result in court.

Some groups including the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) have also berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the the 2023 presidential poll, describing it as fraudulent.

INEC Declares Otti Winner of Abia Guber Poll

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr Alex Otti, has declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Abia State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

State Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti, declared the result on Wednesday at the State Collation Centre, INEC, Umuahia.

Oti said that LP polled 175,467 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 88,529 votes.

Chief Enyinnaya Nwafor of Young Progressives Party scored 28972 votes, while Chief Ikechi Emenike of All Progressives Congress polled 24,091 to emerge third and fourth positions, respectively.

Oti said, “Alex Otti of LP having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

The controversies surrounding the result from Obingwa Local Government Area was earlier put to rest at the resumption of the collation of the result on Wednesday.

The Collation Officer for Obingwa LGA, Dr Chimaroke Onyeabo, announced that PDP polled 9,962, while LP scored 3776 votes of the 27,664 accredited voters.

INEC had on Tuesday ordered the suspension of the collation of the result, following the alleged invasion of INEC office in the LGA and hostage taking of the LG Returning Officer.

In a remark, Oti said that “the pastor and mother in me would not allow me to go against Abia people’s voice and mandate”.

The state had been ruled by PDP since the return of democratic in 1999.

Meanwhile, the declaration of Otti as the governor was received with wild jubilation by residents of Umuahia, Aba, Arochukwu (Otti’s ancestral community) and other parts of the state.

Tension went high in the state, following the suspension of collation and subjecting the Obingwa result to review by INEC in Abuja.