Bola Tinubu was declared ineligible to run for president in the most recent election after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) launched a lawsuit to that effect.
The lawsuit, which claimed that Kashim Shettima was improperly chosen to be Mr. Tinubu’s running mate in the February 2023 presidential election, impliedly tried to prevent the president-elect from taking the oath of office on May 29.
On Friday, a five-person panel headed by Inyang Okoro unanimously dismissed the lawsuit.
The panelist who delivered the main decision, Adamu Jauro, declared that the PDP lacked the legal authority to bring a lawsuit about an APC internal matter.
It should be remembered that no political party may object to another party’s candidacy.
“A political party lacks the right to challenge the activities of INEC on account of the nomination of another political party’s candidate.
“No court has the jurisdiction to entertain such a suit by another party,” the court held.
According to the court, PDP failed to demonstrate any harm that resulted from Mr. Shettima’s purported double nomination.
Asserting that the PDP lacked the legal authority to launch the lawsuit, Mr. Jauro concurred with the Court of Appeal’s previous decision to reject the case.
“The appellant was unable to point to where the lower court determined the substantive issues on its merit.
“It is clear that the suit is statute-barred. Hence this court has no power to delve into the merit of the merit of the suit.”
The judge added: “It is frivolous and bound to fail fraught with manifest malady. It has been a waste of precious time and judicial energy.
“Counsel should do better to advise their clients to desist from suit frivolous matters.
“The appeal is grossly lacking in merit and it is hereby dismissed.”
The ruling was rendered three days before Mr. Tinubu was sworn in as president of Nigeria.
Prior to the president-elect’s inauguration on May 29, outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari had bestowed Mr. Tinubu with the country of Nigeria’s highest honor, the GCFR, on Thursday. Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima was also given the GCON, the second-highest national honor.
