A substantial security presence has been observed in the vicinity of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in anticipation of the court’s forthcoming ruling on Wednesday.
According to Channels, as early as 7:00 a.m., security personnel were stationed in and around the Appeal Court’s premises, with their vehicles strategically placed.
The environment appears peaceful, with journalists and others finalising their preparations for the court proceedings, which are scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m.
For months, the five-judge Abuja court has been deliberating on broad lawsuits filed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party alleging fraud and irregularities.
In a closely contested election, the former governor of Lagos, Tinubu, emerged victorious by securing 37 percent of the votes in the election held on February 25.
This electoral outcome resulted in his successful bid for the president of Nigeria, a nation known for being the most populous in Africa.
Tinubu’s win came after surpassing the electoral results of Atiku Abubakar from the PDP and Peter Obi from the Labour party.
It is improbable that any decision made on Wednesday would mark the conclusive phase of legal disputes pertaining to the election, as legal experts assert that parties have the option to seek a definitive judgement from the Supreme Court through the process of appeal.
Since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, there have been numerous instances where past elections have been subjected to legal scrutiny. However, it is noteworthy that no court has thus far invalidated the outcome of a presidential election in the country.
The government led by Tinubu has demonstrated a sense of assurance, emphasising the uprightness of the judiciary.
“As a result of his faith and confidence in the judiciary, he believes that the mandate which Nigerians freely gave to him during the elections will stand,” presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale told Channels TV this week.
“He is not worried, simply because he knows he won the election.”
