The Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, were found to have failed to explain how they received the majority of valid votes in the February 25 presidential election by the Presidential Election Petitions Court.
Specifically in Rivers, Benue, Lagos, Taraba, Imo, and Osun states, the Labour Party made general accusations of irregularities, the suppression of votes, and corrupt practices to steal their votes, according to the tribunal’s ruling in the lead judgment read by Justice Abba Bello Mohammed. However, they failed to identify the polling units affected or provide specific evidence to support their claims.
The court ruled that even though Peter Obi and LP claimed to have received the majority of valid votes cast, they omitted to disclose how many valid votes they actually received.
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Justice Mohammed further ruled that the LP had failed to substantiate its claims that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had received more votes than it had been entitled to.
“Pleading must set out material facts and particulars. In the instant petition, there was no effort to prove specific allegations, or particulars of complaints. The law is clear that where someone alleges irregularities in a particular polling unit, such person must prove the particular irregularities in that polling unit before that petition can succeed,” the Tribunal held.
The petitioners failed to identify the specific voting places where the election was allegedly rigged, and they failed to provide information about the polling places where purported complainants of irregularities are located, according to the Tribunal.
“It was only in one instance that figures were given of alleged suppressed votes and we all know that elections are about figures,” the court held.