A former Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, has disclosed that a candidate for the position of President in Nigeria has to score a chunk of the votes in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, before he is declared winner of an election.
It’s a view shared by another legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome.
Bola Tinubu of the APC lost Abuja woefully on February 25, but was still declared winner of the election.
Aondoakaa said according to the interpretation of the law by the Supreme Court concerning the presidential election and the status of Abuja, there should be a special status which should be given to Abuja on election matters.
Aondoakaa disclosed that when President Muhammadu Buhari went to the Supreme Court in 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that presidential candidates are required to score at least 25 percent of the votes in Abuja before such a candidate can be declared the winner of the election.
Aondoakaa disclosed that despite the stance of the Supreme Court on the status of Abuja in 2008, the apex court can decide to change its mind if such a matter is taken back to it for interpretation.
Aondoakaa noted that the new interpretation which will be given by the Supreme Court depends entirely on the judges that would handle the matter if the issue “goes back to court.”
Remember that when Peter Obi was announced winner of the presidential election in Abuja, it was rumored that since Peter Obi won in Abuja and none of the other political parties got 25 percent in Abuja, then no winner would be declared by INEC.