Bola Tinubu is set to be inaugurated as President on May 29th, just a few weeks from now. However, his path to victory, which began with the APC party’s primaries, has been marred with scandal and what many describe as dirty politics. Nothing, however, has been more controversial than his purported victory in the February 25th presidential election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the blessings of the Buhari presidency, conducted an election that left many in shock. They wondered why INEC, after assuring Nigerians and the world of its readiness to conduct one of the best elections in the nation's history, turned out to do the exact opposite. INEC expectedly told aggrieved parties to go to court.
With the Labour Party's candidate, Peter Obi, in court, there has been uneasiness in Tinubu's camp. The APC, INEC, and Tinubu/Shettima, all of whom are co-defendants in the petition filed by Peter Obi, have been scrambling for solutions after it became clear that the petition filed by Obi is formidable and capable of overturning Tinubu's victory in the last election.
One aspect of Obi's petitions centers around Tinubu's failure to obtain at least 25% of lawful votes in the FCT, despite massively rigging and obtaining 25% in over 25 states in the country. This situation is surprising and unusual, as no other president since 1999 has failed to obtain at least 25% in the FCT, as constitutionally required.
The Labour Party and Obi are hoping that, should the Tribunal do justice in this regard, Tinubu's victory would be overturned. This has unsettled the APC, and recent reports allege that the failure of INEC to manipulate results from the FCT to grant Tinubu the constitutionally required 25%, was deliberate and meant to sabotage Tinubu's hopes of actually becoming the next president.
According to a source, there is serious finger-pointing going on within the APC and between Tinubu and the presidency over the inability to work out 25% votes for Tinubu in the FCT.
The source said, "It is now a full blown cold war between INEC chairman Mahmoud Yakubu & some Bola Ahmed Tinubu surrogates. They believe that Mahmoud Yakubu purposely throw them under the bus by making sure Bola Tinubu fall short of the 25% mark in Abuja.
"They believe it was a trap hatched by some persons in the aso rock villa that never want to see Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerge as president of Nigeria.
"Bola Tinubu have made several overtures to some people to counter the 25% requisite but unfortunately,it can't be wished away at all. It has now dawn on them why Peter Gregory Obi VP Ahmed Baba Datti was bold in demanding that no swearing in must be done since the evidence before us shows that Bola Tinubu didn't get 25% in FCT as required by our constitution."
It is now a full blown cold war between INEC chairman Mahmoud Yakubu & some Bola Ahmed Tinubu surrogates. They believe that Mahmoud Yakubu purposely throw them under the bus by making sure Bola Tinubu fall short of the 25% mark in Abuja. They believe it was a trap hatched by some
— Nnaemeka Edeh (@NnaemekaEdeh1) May 7, 2023
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal would commence court proceedings on the case on 8tb May, 2023. It is hoped that a ruling would be made on time ahead of May 29th.