Legal Counsel For Tinubu And Shettima Refutes Obi’s Arguments In Presidential Election Dispute

Wole Olanipekun, the legal representative for President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, has strongly rebutted the final written argument presented by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) in their challenge against Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election.

Obi, representing the LP, had raised objections to Tinubu’s qualification for the presidential candidacy, citing a $460,000 forfeiture in the US and his alleged failure to secure at least 25 per cent of the votes in the federal capital territory (FCT)….CONTINUE READING

In response, Olanipekun filed a counterargument with the presidential election petition tribunal, urging the court to dismiss both the original petition and Obi’s final written argument. Tinubu’s legal team argued that the opposition had effectively abandoned their case in their concluding address, violating the provisions of Order 22 Rule 5 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019.

According to Tinubu’s lawyers, the forfeiture in the US was a Non-Conviction Based Forfeiture (NCBF), which they contended did not result from a criminal conviction.

They also asserted that Obi and the LP failed to address specific allegations regarding INEC’s supply of Form ECSAS in several polling units and the claims of vote mutilation, cancellations, and swapping.

In their 14-page retort, Tinubu’s legal team implored the court to dismiss the opposition’s claims not only based on the reasons provided in their address but also due to the apparent abandonment of their entire petition.

The lawyers emphasized the lack of formulated issues for determination from Obi and the LP, as required by the court rules, making their arguments invalid and unsubstantiated.