Tinubu pulls out of 2024 UN General Assembly, Shettima to represent President
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) made a surprising decision on Monday at the Supreme Court, as they dramatically withdrew their petition challenging the nomination of President Bola Tinubu for the last presidential election.
APM had alleged that Kashim Shettima, who later became a vice presidential candidate to Tinubu, engaged in double nominations, making Tinubu’s candidacy unlawful and unconstitutional.
The party argued that the withdrawal of Kabiru Masari as the initial vice presidential candidate and placeholder was not in accordance with the law.
During Monday’s proceedings, APM’s counsel, Chukwuma Machukwu Ume SAN, faced questioning in the case.
Justice John Inyang Okoro interjected, reminding Ume that the Supreme Court had previously ruled that matters relating to candidate nominations for elections are internal affairs of political parties.
The Presiding Justice also emphasized that even if judgment was in favor of APM, it would not benefit the party in any way.
Taking note of these remarks from the court, Ume applied to withdraw the appeal in order to lessen the court’s workload.
Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, representing Tinubu; Abubakar Mahmoud SAN, representing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); and Akin Olujinmi SAN, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), raised no objections to the withdrawal. Consequently, Justice John Okoro dismissed the appeal.
The dismissal did not come with any cost against APM or its lead lawyer.
In the meantime, the hearing for the appeal filed by the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, has commenced.
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