Nigeria’ Supreme Court today reaffirmed President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC as the winner of the February 23, 2019 presidential election.

His main challenger in the election is Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Dissatisfied with the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission that Buhari won the election, Atiku went to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to present his case that the election was marred by irregularities and that notwithstanding, he won it. On September 11, 2019, the Tribunal dismissed his petition and confirmed Buhari’s victory in the election.

Atiku immediately after the verdict of the Tribunal signified his intention to appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court. His lawyers accordingly approached the apex court in the country with a number of prayers, principal of which was that he should be declared the winner of the presidential election.

After several weeks of expectation and controversy over the time of hearing the case, the Supreme Court fixed public sitting for today. It had, hours earlier released a list of seven judges that were expected to deliberate on the appeal. The Court sat today. It heard concluding submissions from the counsels of both parties.

In a surprise move, the seven judges delivered a unanimous ruling that haven considered the submissions of the lawyers on the two sides, Atiku’s case was not meritorious. And so his appeal was dismissed and Buhari was reaffirmed as the winner of the presidential election in contention. In the words of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Muhammad who led the team of the seven Justices: “Haven gone through the briefs for the past two weeks we have come to the conclusion. This appeal lacks merit. This appeal is hereby dismissed.” It also said that it will give reasons for its ruling in due course.

Meanwhile, Atiku has issued a public statement rejecting the decision of the Court. His statement will shortly be posted on this website.

The judgment put paid to the 2019 presidential election contest in Nigeria.