.jpeg "Before being sworn in, the tribunal judgment should be finalized, says Kenneth Okonkwo, PEPT")
Okonkwo asserted that it is imperative to finalize the adjudication of election petitions prior to the official inauguration of candidates.
The individual expressed curiosity regarding the tribunal's decision to place trust in Shettima's letter to the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite the fact that the party did not officially endorse him for the roles of Vice President and Senator for Borno Central senatorial seat.
According to a report by INFOGONG, the tribunal has dismissed a legal action initiated by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in an attempt to disqualify Shettima.
The party contended that Tinubu's sponsorship by the APC was deemed inappropriate due to his selection of Shettima as his running mate for the upcoming election.
According to the opposition party, Shettima's acceptance of the nomination for vice-presidential candidate on July 14 was indicative of his continued status as the APC candidate for Borno Central Senatorial District.
However, in its judgement on Wednesday, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) determined that the case falls under the category of pre-election matters, thereby concluding that it does not possess the authority to adjudicate on the issue.
In response, Okonkwo proposed that the letter had likely been composed subsequent to Shettima's nomination.
Okonkwo's statement pertains to the preliminary ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPC) and highlights the court's reliance on a letter allegedly written by Shettima to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on July 6, 2023. This letter purportedly expresses Shettima's intention to decline dual nominations for the Borno Central Senatorial seat and the Vice-Presidential position.
Perhaps the court inadvertently overlooked the fact that on the 10th of July, 2023, in Daura, Tinubu publicly declared his selection of Shettima as the Vice-Presidential candidate, with Shettima being unaware of this decision at the time.
Inquiring about the process by which an individual may rescind their nomination for a Senate position due to their subsequent nomination for the Vice-Presidential seat, particularly in a scenario where they were unaware of their impending Vice-Presidential nomination.
This is the reason why a substantial number of individuals hold the belief that the letter was composed subsequent to the Respondents' realization that they were at risk of contravening the double nomination clause.
The logical evaluation of evidence is crucial. The necessity of concluding judgement on election petitions prior to the swearing-in of candidates is evident.