By Damilare Adeleye
The Supreme Court has said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has no special status to be won before a presidential candidate can duly be declared as winner.
The apex court affirmed that a candidate does not need to get at least 25 percent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to be declared as the country’s president.
Justice Inyang Okoro led the panel of justices gave the verdict while ruling on Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar’s appeal against Tinubu’s victory.
Recall that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal had earlier gave same stance in its recent judgment.
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi had wanted Tinubu’s win in February 2023 to be nullified on the ground that he did not get 25 percent of votes in the FCT.
However, the Presidential Tribunal ruled that their petition was immaterial.
Unsatisfied with the judgment, the duo took the matter to the apex court, seeking the overturning of Tinubu’s win.
But on Thursday, Justice Okoro upheld the Appeal Court’s ruling, saying the FCT has no special status.