The People Democratic Party (PDP) has sued the All Progressive Party (APC) and Labour Party (LP) for replacing the running mates of their vice presidential candidates.
PDP instituted a lawsuit compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission to prevent the all progressive congress presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Labour Party standard bearer, Peter obi from replacing their running mates with Senator Kashim Shettima and Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed respectively.
In order to beat the June 17 INEC deadline, Tinubu and Obi had nominated Kabiru Masari and Doyin Okupe respectively as running mates.
These presidential candidates however have announced new running mates, which is why PDP is seeking a court order to bar INEC from replacing Tinubu and Obi’s running mates. Stating that they continue with Kabiru Masari and Doyin Okupe respectively, or be disqualified.
According to Punch, the PDP asked the court to determine if by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, Tinubu and Obi are bound by the submission of Masari and Okupe respectively as their running mates.
The party also asked the court to determine if “by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the first defendant (INEC) can validly accept any change or substitution of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates of the 3rd (APC) and 6th (Labour Party) defendants.”
The party also seeks five reliefs which include a declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s timetable, both Tinubu and Obi must be bound by their submission.
“A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1st defendant’s (INEC’s) election timetable, the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) cannot validly contest the 2023 Presidential election without the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Obi) respondents as their respective running mates,” one of the reliefs reads.
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The PDP further argued that the term ‘placeholder’ is unknown to Nigerian law.
The party said, “The Electoral Act makes no provisions whatsoever for placeholder or temporary running mates. The acts of the 2nd (APC), 3rd (Tinubu), 5th (Labour Party ) and 6th (Obi) defendants in nominating and forwarding the names of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates for the 2023 Presidential elections is valid and subsisting.”
The Punch reports that Labour Party’s lawyer, Alex Ejesieme, and the Head of Legal Directorate, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Babatunde Ogala (SAN) have received the court processes and are aware of the suit.
