25% Votes: Supreme Court rules FCT has no special status

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the ruling by the Appeal Court that a candidate does not need to get at least 25 percent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to be declared as the country’s president.

Justice Inyang Okoro led the panel of justices to determine Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar’s appeal against Tinubu’s victory.

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While Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi had wanted Tinubu’s win in February 2023 to be nullified on the ground that he did not get 25 percent of votes in the FCT, the Appeal Court ruled that their petition was immaterial.

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Unsatisfied with the judgment, the duo took the matter to the apex court, seeking the overturning of Tinubu’s win.

But on Thursday, Justice Okoro corroborated the Appeal Court’s ruling, saying the FCT has no special status.

The Supreme Court therefore agreed with the appellate court that the 25 percent claim by Obi and Atiku is immaterial.