The Supreme Court, on Monday has stated that there are conflicting letters from the Chicago State University, CSU on the certificate of President Bola Tinubu.
The Chairman of the seven-member panel of the apex court, Justice John Okoro, stated this during the hearing of the application of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, filed against the victory of President Bola.
Justice Okoro said one of the letters is authenticating the President’s certificate and another discrediting it.
The lead justice of the panel, therefore, said criminal matters have to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
“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?” he asked.
The Supreme Court then reserved judgment in the petition seeking to nullify the declaration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential
Justice John Inyang Okoro, who led a 7-man panel of Justices of the Court in Monday’s proceedings, announced reservation of the final judgment after taking arguments from lawyers in the matter.
Justice Okoro said parties in the matter would be communicated as soon as the judgment date is fixed.
Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar on Monday at the Supreme Court insisted that President Bola Tinubu must be disqualified from the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku maintained that Tinubu was not Constitutionally qualified to stand for the election at the time he did.
The former Vice President through his lead counsel, Chris Uche SAN, asked the apex court to invoke the provisions of the Constitution to annul Tinubu’s in the election.
He predicated his request for Tinubu’s disqualification on alleged certificate forgery and lying on oath.
In the absence of outright disqualification, Atiku pleaded with the Justice John Inyang Okoro-led panel to order a rerun between him and Tinubu.
However, Tinubu through his lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun SAN, asked the court to dismiss Atiku’s claims of certificate forgery and lying on oath.
The senior lawyer insisted that Atiku’s allegations are unsubstantiated and cannot enjoy any probate value until proven beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, represented by Abubakar Mahmoud SAN, also canvassed that Atiku’s petition be thrown out for want of merit.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, led by Chief Akin Olujinmi SAN, adopted the position of Olanipekun in calling for dismissal of the petition.
DAILY GIST recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the February election, but his opponents went to court.
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal had struck out the appeals of Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, but they headed for the apex court, with Atiku asking to file extra evidence against Tinubu on alleged forgery.
