25%votes: Abuja has no special status above other states, Tribunal declares

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal has declared that the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, does not hold a higher status than other states of the federation.

This is the declaration of Justice Haruna Tsammani, the lead judge of the five-man panel, during the tribunal’s sitting on Wednesday in Abuja. According to him, Sections 134 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) stipulate that a presidential candidate must attain or score a majority of votes cast in a presidential election, where two or more candidates are involved, and at least 25% in two-thirds of the 36 States and FCT to meet the constitutional requirement to be declared as duly elected as President of Nigeria