Tribunal dismisses APC petition on Obi’s eligibility to contest election

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, on Wednesday afternoon, dismissed the petition of the ruling All Progressives Congress challenging the eligibility of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to contest the 2023 general election.

The APC had challenged Obi’s membership of LP, declaring it incompetent.

Justice Abba Mohammed, a member of the five-member panel that read the lead judgment, said membership in a political party is an internal affair.

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President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima had contended that they had the locus standi to institute the petition on the grounds that Obi only joined the LP a few days before the election, instead of the mandatory 30 days.

However, the court held that it was not the prerogative of Tinubu and Shettima to challenge Obi’s candidacy.

Mohammed said, “The issue of membership of a political party is an internal party affair.”