Supreme Court gives final verdict on PDP suit against Tinubu, Shettima

The supreme court has dismissed the appeal seeking to disqualify Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2023 general elections.

The Nation reported that the apex court in a 5-panel judgment on Friday, May 26, maintained that the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked the locus standi.

The panel said since the PDP is not a member of the APC, it lacked the legal right to institute the suit.

In the suit, the PDP was fighting against the nomination of Shettima as Tinubu's running mate, stating that it was a breach of sections 29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2) provisions of the electoral act.

The PDP said that Shettima contested the position of the vice president and Borno central senatorial district at the same time, adding that such a move contravened the law stated above.

But the court upheld the earlier position of the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal that the PDP lacked the locus standi to challenge the candidacy of Tinubu and Shettima because the PDP was an APC member.

After the suit was earlier dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja, the PDP took it to the court of appeal where it was also dismissed, and the opposition party was fined with N5 million before the party approached the Supreme Court.