The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, which convened in Abuja, delivered a significant ruling on Wednesday. The tribunal, consisting of five judges led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, declared that the Labour Party, along with its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, failed to substantiate claims that President Tinubu had been convicted of drug-related offenses in the United States of America.
Justice Tsammani asserted that the petitioners had not presented any concrete evidence indicating that President Tinubu had been either arrested or convicted for any specific crime, as alleged in their petition. He clarified that the financial penalty imposed on President Tinubu by a U.S. court was related to a civil forfeiture proceeding, which did not qualify as a fine for fraud or dishonesty as stipulated in Section 137(1)(d) of the Constitution.
In addition to this crucial ruling, the court also determined that both President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettma met the qualifications necessary to contest in the previous presidential election.
The decision by the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings and clarifies the status of President Tinubu’s alleged criminal record in the United States.
Further details on this ruling will be made available in due course.