The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal dismissed the ruling All Progressives Congress’ appeal challenging the eligibility of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to run in the 2023 general election on Wednesday afternoon
The APC had challenged Obi’s membership of LP, declaring it incompetent.
Justice Abba Mohammed, a member of the five-member panel that read the lead judgment, said membership in a political party is an internal affair.
President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima argued that they had the locus standi to file the case because Obi just joined the LP a few days before the election, rather than the required 30 days.
However, the court held that it was not the prerogative of Tinubu and Shettima to challenge Obi’s candidacy.
Mohammed said, “The issue of membership of a political party is an internal party affair.”