Adeosun Christiana Pelumi (Siwes Student, D.S. Adegbenro Polytechnic)
In a recent decision, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling of the Appeal Court, stating that presidential candidates are no longer mandated to secure a minimum of 25 percent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to be eligible for the nation’s presidency.
Justice Okoro stressed the importance of interpreting statutes in a way that benefits the broader population rather than a specific group. Consequently, the court declared that the 25% vote threshold is no longer a requirement for presidential candidates in the FCT.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court affirmed that the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission to electronically transmit election results did not have a significant impact on the election’s outcome and was not a valid reason for nullifying the presidential election results.
Justice Inyang Okoro, leading the panel of justices, oversaw the assessment of Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar’s appeal against Tinubu’s victory, ultimately confirming the election results.
