The Supreme Court has ruled that President Muhammadu Buhari was “eminently qualified” to contest the February 23 presidential election.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, prepared the full judgment of the apex court which is being read by Justice John Okoro.

The full judgment delivered today was to provide explanations for the apex court’s summary decision of October 30 which dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar challenging the victory of Buhari at the February 23 presidential poll.

The court affirmed the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which held that Buhari possessed the requisite educational qualification to contest the poll.

It held that the Nigerian Constitution only required a candidate contesting the presidential election to be educated up to secondary education even when the candidate does not possess the certificate.

The Supreme Court has ruled that President Muhammadu Buhari was “eminently qualified” to contest the February 23 presidential election.

 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, prepared the full judgment of the apex court which is being read by Justice John Okoro.

 

The full judgment delivered today was to provide explanations for the apex court’s summary decision of October 30 which dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar challenging the victory of Buhari at the February 23 presidential poll.

 

The court affirmed the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which held that Buhari possessed the requisite educational qualification to contest the poll.

 

It held that the Nigerian Constitution only required a candidate contesting the presidential election to be educated up to secondary education even when the candidate does not possess the certificate.

Ahead of the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, former President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned violence that had characterized campaigns in the two states.

 

Jonathan, who handed over to Buhari in 2015, described signals coming from the two states as disturbing.

 

He expressed sadness that people were already being killed when election had not begun; adding that the only way out to thuggery and violence was electronic voting.

 

Jonathan spoke in Port Harcourt during the presentation of a book authored by a former Deputy Governor of Rivers State,  Sir Gabriel Toby.

Justice CHIOMA NWOSU-IHEME of the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal has regained her freedom about two weeks after she was abducted from the Edo State Capital.

 The Commissioner of Police, Edo Command, DANMALLAM MOHAMMED confirmed that the judge was rescued from kidnappers and has been reunited with her family.

 Her abduction had led to public outcry from various quarters with the Nigerian Bar Association, Benin Branch, embarking on a three-day boycott of all courts last week.

The All Progressives Congress, APC has faulted the judgment which nullified the primary that produced DAVID LYON as its governorship candidate for Saturday’s Bayelsa State governorship election.

 At a press conference held a few hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, delivered its judgment on Thursday, the APC said it would appeal the judgement.

 It also disclosed that its lawyers were already working on the processes to first secure a stay of execution.

 Speaking at the press briefing, Minister of State for Petroleum, TIMIPRE SYLVA said the judgment of the appeal court was that status quo should be maintained.

 SYLVA also accused the PDP of being responsible for the violence in Nembe.

 Justice JANE INYANG nullified the APC governorship primary while adjudicating on a suit filed by Senator HEINEKEN LOKPOBIRI, a former minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development and a governorship aspirant under APC.

 The judge held that the primary was conducted arbitrarily outside the rules of the APC, as it was conducted in violation of the party’s constitution and guidelines as clearly spelt out for the conduct of governorship primaries