PEPT judgement: 25% of FCT votes not needed to win Presidential election

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has dismissed the claim of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), that President Bola Tinubu needed 25 per cent votes from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to win the February 25 election.

Justice Haruna Tsammani said FCT residents have no special privilege, hence such claims can’t stand.

He was reacting to Obi’s petition faulting the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the last presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

There have been arguments over the legality of Tinubu’s victory in the last presidential election over his inability to accrue 25 per cent of the votes in the FCT.

Nigerians have argued that a presidential candidate must acquire 25 per cent of votes, including in the FCT, as a requirement to be declared the winner.