Why PDP wants Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu disqualified ahead of 2023 presidency election

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has gone to seek the disqualification of Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from contesting the 2023 presidential election.

The main opposition wants the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to prevent Tinubu and Peter Obi, from replacing their place-holders, Gov Kabiru Masari and Doyin Okupe, respectively.

The PDP wants the court to stop the two candidates from naming Senator Kashim Shettima and Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, respectively as their running mates.

The main opposition also asked the court to declare that Tinubu and Obi be disqualified unless they contest alongside Okupe and Masari, respectively.

In the originating summons, with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1016/2022, the PDP is seeking an order barring INEC from replacing the running mates of Tinubu and Obi.

Those listed as first to seventh respondents in the case are INEC, APC, Tinubu, Masari, Labour Party, Obi and Okupe.

Tinubu and Obi had used Masari and Okupe respectively to beat the deadline set by INEC on submission of running mates after the primaries.

The two presidential candidates earlier this week changed their nominations. While Tinubu settled for former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, Obi announced Datti Baba-Ahmed as his running mate.

And the main opposition PDP now asked the court to determine if by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, the APC and LP’s presidential candidates are bound by the submission of Masari and Okupe, respectively as their running mates.

The PDP also wants the court to determine if “by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the first defendant (the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC) can validly accept any change or substitution of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates of the 3rd (APC) and 6th (Labour Party) defendants.”

The party asked the court to rule that both Tinubu and Obi will be disqualified the moment they substitute the names of their running mates.