In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed the application made by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to submit fresh evidence in support of his appeal. Atiku’s request was to present the credentials of Bola Tinubu, obtained from Chicago State University, in order to substantiate his claims that the sitting president had forged documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The matter was brought before a seven-man panel led by Justice John Okoro, which convened on Monday to hear arguments both for and against the admissibility of these new documents.
Advocating for the court to admit the fresh evidence, Atiku’s lead counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, argued that the allegations of forgery against the president were a significant constitutional issue that the apex court should thoroughly examine. However, counsel for Bola Tinubu, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, urged the court not to accept the fresh evidence, highlighting that INEC was not a party to the case.
Justice John Okoro delivered the lead judgment on Thursday, stating that the application had been filed after the 180-day time frame stipulated by the law had passed. He emphasized that the court lacked the authority to activate Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to admit new evidence, saying, “The leave cannot be granted. We do not have the power to grant it. There is no mention of forgery in the petition, and its admission would not align with the scope of this appeal. The petitioners were not prompt and diligent in their actions. This request is hereby refused and dismissed.”
This ruling by the Supreme Court has significant implications for the ongoing legal battle surrounding the alleged forgery of documents by the president, and it marks a pivotal point in the case.