Peter Obi and Labour Party Fail to Substantiate Claim of Majority Votes (Watch)
The Tribunal has ruled that Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) were unable to provide evidence of how they garnered the majority of valid votes in the February 25 presidential election. Justice Abba Bello Mohammed, delivering the leading judgment, pointed out that the LP had made general accusations of irregularities, vote suppression, and corrupt practices that allegedly deprived them of votes, particularly in states like Rivers, Benue, Lagos, Taraba, Imo, and Osun. However, they failed to specify the affected polling units or provide substantial proof to substantiate their claims.
The court noted that despite Peter Obi and LP’s assertion of having secured the majority of valid votes, they did not specify the exact number of lawful votes they received. Justice Mohammed also emphasized that LP did not succeed in substantiating their allegations of overvoting against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the subsequent reduction in their votes.
Pleading must set out material facts and particulars. In the instant petition, there was no effort to prove specific allegations, particulars of complaints. The law is clear that where someone alleges irregularities in a particular polling unit, such person must prove the particular irregularities in that polling unit before that petition can succeed” the Tribunal held
According to the Tribunal, the petitioners did not prove the particular polling units where the election did not take place nor did they specify particulars of polling units where there are alleged complainants of irregularities.
‘’“It was only in one instance that figures were given of alleged suppressed votes and we all know that elections are about figures” the court held