…slams N2m fine against PDP
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the President elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the Vice President elect, Kashim Shettima of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over alleged double nomination. Tribune reports.
In a unanimous judgement of the apex court, delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the court held that the PDP has no locus standi (Legal right) to file a legal action against an internal affairs of the APC.
According to Justice Jauro, “Whichever angle, this appeal is viewed, it is frivolous and liable to be dismissed”, and the court consequently dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
The court also slammed a N2 million fine against the PDP in favour of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Tinubu and Shetimma, who were 1st to 4th respondents in the appeal.
Justice Jauro held that the appellant, having not participated in the primary election of the APC, has no legal right to challenge the nomination of the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the APC for the 2023 general elections.
The court held that the constitution does not allow a political party to delve into the internal affairs of another political party, describing the PDP as a meddlesome interloper and a busy body to have filed the suit.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had, dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP seeking the disqualification of Tinubu and Shettima as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the APC in the February 25 election.
The PDP had, in their appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/108/2023 urged the appellate court to reverse the January 13 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja which dismissed its suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked locus standi to have instituted the suit.
The three-member panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal held in the unanimous judgment that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi to institute the legal action.
