September 6, (THEWILL) – The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), Abuja, says winning 25% votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is not a mandatory requirement to be declared winner of a Presidential election in Nigeria.
Chairman of the PEPC, Justice Haruna Tsammani, gave the ruling while delivering judgement on the petition brought before the court by Peter Obi, Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
Justice Tsammani dismissed the joint Petition of Peter Obi/LP, which claimed that 25% of FCT Votes is required to win the 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria.
The FCT, according to Justice Tsammani, is not more essential than the other states in the country and doesn’t enjoy special privileges ahead of other States.
On the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to electronically transmit the results of the February 25 Presidential Election, the court said INEC was not mandated to send election results electronically.
According to Justice Tsammani, INEC is at liberty to decide the mode of transmission of election results it intends to use.
“There is no provision for the electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act 2022. By the provision of Section 52 and Section 65 of the Electoral Act, INEC is at liberty to prescribe the manner in which results can be transmitted. INEC cannot be compelled to electronically transmit results”, Justice Tsammani ruled.
