The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has initiated legal moves to stop candidates of the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu; and the flagbearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, from replacing their running mates with Senator Kashim Shettima and Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed respectively.
VANTAGE NEWS reports that the PDP also asks the court to declare that Tinubu and Obi be disqualified unless they contest alongside their previous running mates – Kabiru Masari and Doyin Okupe respectively.
In the lawsuit with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1016/2022, the main opposition party is seeking an order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission from replacing the running mates of the APC and Labour Party candidates.
The PDP listed as respondents in the case includes INEC, APC, Tinubu, Masari, Labour Party, Obi, and Okupe.
VANTAGE NEWS reports that Tinubu and Obi had nominated Masari and Okupe respectively as placeholders in order to beat the June 17 INEC deadline.
Following weeks of consultations, Tinubu and Obi nominated Shettima and Baba-Ahmed respectively while Masari and Okupe resigned as running mates.
However, the PDP asked the court to determine if by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31, and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, Tinubu, and Obi are bound by the submission of Masari and Okupe respectively as their vice-presidential candidates.
PDP asked the court to determine if “by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the first defendant (INEC) can validly accept any change or substitution of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates of the 3rd (APC) and 6th (Labour Party) defendants.”
The main opposition party also stated that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31, and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, both Tinubu, and Obi must be bound by their submission.
One of the reliefs reads, “A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1st defendant’s (INEC’s) election timetable, the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) cannot validly contest the 2023 Presidential election without the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Obi) respondents as their respective running mates.”
“The Electoral Act makes no provisions whatsoever for placeholder or temporary running mates. The acts of the 2nd (APC), 3rd (Tinubu), 5th (Labour Party ) and 6th (Obi) defendants in nominating and forwarding the names of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates for the 2023 Presidential elections is valid and subsisting,” the party added.
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