A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oba Maduabuchi on Wednesday claimed that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar may face some challenges in the Supreme Court.
Bellnews understands that Atiku approached the apex court to appeal the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.The tribunal had affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election.
Atiku, however, is challenging Tinubu’s victory and also insisting that the President is not qualified to run.
The former Vice President hopes to present the controversial certificate of President Tinubu at the Supreme Court.
Maduabuchi, however, while speaking on Arise TV said new evidence is not allowed to be presented before the Supreme Court of Nigeria when the case is an electoral matter.
He further stated, “You do not apply the Supreme Court rules generally to presidential election petition court appeals, you have to apply the electoral act.
“The major problem Atiku will have is how he is going to scale the provisions of the electoral act, particularly the rules of procedure of the electoral act. An election petition is to be presented within 21 days and after 21 days, you cannot introduce certain things, particularly if they affect a ground for challenging that election.
“One of the grounds for challenging an election is that the person was not qualified. If you want to introduce anything after 21 days, which tends to show that the person is not qualified, the law says no. Once 21 days close, that is all. This is an election that happened in February. How can we be talking about bringing in new evidence.”