Supreme Court affirms Tinubu's election

On October 26, 2023, Nigeria's Supreme Court delivered its final verdict on the disputed February 2023 presidential election, rejecting all appeals against Bola Ahmed Tinubu's victory. The seven-member panel, led by Justice John Okoro, dismissed challenges brought by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. The court ruled that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of irregularities, vote manipulation, and constitutional violations in the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The appeals stemmed from a highly contested presidential race that saw unprecedented youth mobilization, particularly behind Peter Obi's candidacy, and allegations of widespread electoral malpractices. Opposition parties had challenged Tinubu's victory at the Presidential Election Petition Court, citing issues with the electronic transmission of results, voter suppression in certain regions, and questions about Tinubu's academic qualifications. The tribunal had earlier upheld Tinubu's election in September 2023, prompting the losing candidates to approach the Supreme Court as their final legal recourse under Nigeria's electoral framework.