The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Appeal Court’s ruling on 25 percent of votes in Abuja needed to win the presidential election.
The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal had declared that the Federal Capital Territory does not hold a higher status than other States in the country.
Section 134 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) stipulates 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.
Justice Okoro noted that scoring 25% of votes in the FCT is not a mandatory requirement for declaration of a candidate as the winner of presidential election.