Presidential election: Peter Obi winning FCT raises questions about possible run off

 

There have been speculations across Nigeria that the 2023 presidential election may end up in a constitutional crisis.

With most of the results of last Saturday’s presidential election announced, it is looking likely that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, will end up with the highest number of valid votes.

Tinubu will also have garnered at least 25% votes in at least 24 states of the federation.

But the 1999 Constitution says 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This has led to different interpretations.

The results from the FCT showed that APC had just 19.8% and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had 16.1%, compared to Labour Party’s Peter Obi who picked up 61%.

“There’s no run off,” Barrister Kwami Adadevoh, whose legal practice straddles between Nigeria, Ghana and the UK told DAILY POST.

“The other two (Tinubu and Atiku) have won 25% in 24 states.

“The FCT is not a state. Otherwise the reading you’re applying would require that even if someone won 25% in 36 states but didn’t win 25% in Abuja then the person hasn’t won.

“So we should we be expecting INEC’s announcement of a winner.

“By tomorrow I’m sure,” Adadevoh replied.