The Presidency has reacted to the Supreme Court proceeding in Abuja arising from appeals against the result of the 2023 presidential election.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, taunted Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the February 25 election, after the Supreme Court rejected Atiku’s attempt to present fresh evidence of a forgery case against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The court ruled that the Electoral Act prohibits amending an election petition in this manner, rendering Atiku’s motion inadmissible.
Justice John Okoro emphasized that the time allocated for presenting evidence had passed and couldn’t be extended. He further stated that the 180 days set for hearing election petitions is unchangeable and cannot be prolonged.
Justice Okoro, in his judgment, assessed the merit of Atiku and the PDP’s motion to introduce new evidence, particularly documents obtained from the Chicago State University concerning President Bola Tinubu’s academic records. He emphasized the need to determine if the nation’s laws permit the court to accept fresh evidence at this point in the petition.
Responding via X, Onanuga declared Atiku’s chances over following the court’s ruling on his ‘so-called’ new evidence against Tinubu. He advised the former Vice President to finally send his long-delayed congratulatory message to his old-time friend, Tinubu.
Onanuga wrote: “Supreme Court has spoken: Atiku’s so-called new evidence runs foul of the Electoral Act and the constitution. It’s all over for the PDP presidential candidate. “The Waziri should write his long delayed congratulatory message to his old friend.”