Protesters gathered on Saturday near the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, where the challenge to Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Tinubu’s, election is being heard. The demonstrators carried placards calling for a transparent electoral process and urging President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver on his promise. The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, was also criticised for overseeing a “shambolic election”. The protesters, known as the ‘Free Nigeria Movement’, marched to the Court of Appeal where the five-member panel is currently hearing the election petitions. Police officers were present to prevent any potential breakdown of law and order.
Since its inaugural sitting on March 8, the Presidential Election Petition Court has witnessed several protests. Opposition candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, filed their petitions within the 21-day deadline to challenge the outcome of the election, alleging wide-spread result manipulation. Three other political parties have also filed petitions. Two of them withdrew their cases within the first week of sitting, leaving the three petitions currently before the court.
