SHETTIMA’S CANDIDACY – THE REAL BOMB!

In my view as a layman, I believe PO’s legal team has done a good job. So we await the judgement of the court.

That said, I believe the real challenge for the Tinubu’s legal team would be to prove that Tinubu was validly nominated to run for the presidency considering the defective nomination of his running mate.

Section 35 of the Electoral Act prohibits a candidate from knowingly allowing himself to be nominated by more than one political party or in more than one constituency for elective offices. From the filings by Obi’s legal team, they are contending that Shettima was both a senatorial candidate and a vice-presidential candidate at the same time. His withdrawal as a senatorial candidate was done after he had joined as his running mate.

Furthermore, Section 142 of the Electoral Act provides for the mandatory nomination of a vice presidential candidate from the same party for the presidential candidate to be considered as validly nominated. As a matter of fact, if there’s no vice presidential candidate, then the presidential nomination becomes invalid.

Therefore, if Shettima’s nomination is voided on account of having been nominated for two separate elections, it follows that Tinubu’s nomination and candidacy is incomplete before the law and, therefore, invalid because he does not have a properly nominated running mate. Such an invalid nomination robs Tinubu of any right to participate in the presidential election.

Like I said, I am just a layman who recognises that the final say belongs to the courts. I rest my case.

Nick Opara-Ndudu