Peter Obi, LP failed to prove Tinubu’s conviction in U.S – Tribunal

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) on Wednesday ruled that the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, failed to prove that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was convicted for money laundering in the United States (US).

The five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani also ruled that no record of criminal arrest or conviction was established against Tinubu in the petition filed by the LP and Obi.

The LP and Obi had tendered documents marked as exhibits PA (1 to 5) which they alleged to be a copy of the United state’s court judgment on the alleged conviction of President Tinubu to a fine of $450,000.

They said that Tinubu allegedly forfeited the money in the US over three decades ago and that he was involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.

However, the Tribunal on Wednesday ruled that no criminal charge was filed against Tinubu in the US and that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate did not go through a criminal trial in America.

According to the ruling by Justice Tsammani, the former governor of Lagos State was not convicted of any crime or any criminal activity and no sentence of imprisonment or fine was imposed on him.

“According to Section 137 of the constitution, Bola Tinubu is not disqualified from contesting the presidential poll,” Tsammani said.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was at liberty to decide the mode of transmission of election results during the presidential election on February 25, 2023.

“According to Sections 52 and 65 of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC was at liberty to prescribe the manner in which election results were transmitted during the poll.”

The Tribunal consequently dismissed the petition of the LP and Obi which argued that the victory of Tinubu be annulled on the basis on the “failure” of the commission’s Results Viewing Portal (IReV) to upload election results electronically in real time.

It also dismissed Obi and LP’s petitions on 25 per cent votes of Tinubu in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), saying that Abuja is like every other state.