The presidential election tribunal sitting at the court of
appeal in Abuja, has ruled that the petition filed by the Allied Peoples
Movement (APM) on Kashim Shettima’s double nomination, lacks merit.
The APM’s petition was premised on the eligibility of
President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Shettima to contest the February 25,
2023 election.
According to the tribunal, the petition of the APM is
“devoid of any merit”.
Haruna Tsammani, who read the judgment, said the tribunal
lacks the jurisdiction to hear or determine an issue bordering on qualification
or non-qualification of a candidate.
Tsammani said the alleged double nomination against Shettima
has no substance, having been settled by the supreme court. He said no one has
the right to litigate on it again.
The tribunal said the issue of qualification or
non-qualification is a pre-election matter that should have been ventilated at
the federal high court within 14 days after the conduct of a primary election.
The tribunal also said APM lacks the locus standi to
challenge the qualification of a candidate in another political party.
The tribunal said only an aspirant who took part in a
primary election can challenge the outcome of such election.
The court referred to the judgment of the supreme court
delivered on May 26 were the apex court dismissed an appeal filed by the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The APM in their petition submitted that Shettima was still a
candidate as of 14 July when he was nominated as the vice-presidential
candidate.
Tsammani held that there is evidence before the tribunal to
prove that Shettima sent a letter to the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) on July 6, resigning his position as Borno central senatorial
candidate, and that his nomination as vice-president cannot be regarded as a
double nomination.
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