The inauguration of Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima and President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received the legal nod from the Supreme Court.
On Friday, the court denied the suit by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, seeking their disqualification from the 2023 presidential election.
The PDP’s lawsuit asking for Tinubu and Shettima’s disqualification was dismissed by the Apex Court after it was determined that it had a serious lack of merit.
A punishment of N2 million was levied on the PDP by Justice Adamu Jauro, who gave the lead judgment, for interfering with the All Progressives Congress’ internal affairs during the primary election process and the nomination of its candidates.
Justice Jauro concurred with Tinubu’s attorney, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, that the PDP interfered unfairly in the business of the APC in a busy-body and meddling manner.
The Apex Court ruled that in addition to the fact that PDP lacked the necessary authority to file the lawsuit, the party also failed to present even the slightest shred of proof that Shettima had participated in double nomination.
The PDP’s allegation that the Vice President-elect had received two nominations was deemed regrettable and a clear case of malicious mischief intended to deceive the Court and the public.
The Supreme Court also agreed with Fagbemi that PDP must watch from a distance, notwithstanding its protests over the way the APC conducted its primary poll and chose its candidates.
He declared, “It is abundantly clear that the appellant (PDP) in the entirety of its position in the present case is peeping and poke nosing into the affairs of another party as a busy body and meddlesome interloper.”
The Supreme Court might have blackmailed PDP, the court ruled, but instead, it utilized social media to build a booby trap for it.
This, it stated, is very regrettable, unjustified, and uncalled for.