The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar did not meet the constitutional requirements to be declared winner of the February 25 election.
Urging the Presidential Election Petition Court to dismiss the petition by Atiku and his party, the commission said the PDP flag bearer failed to score, at least, one-quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and as such could not have been declared the winner.
As against the claim by the petitioners, INEC added that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and was not marred by any corrupt practices.
The commission said the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu validly won the election.
INEC further added that the FCT is not accorded any special status in the constitution as being erroneously portrayed by some political parties and candidates who lost the election.
The commission said the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate met all the legal requirements to be so announced as the winner.
It argued that a candidate must not secure 25 per cent of votes in the FCT to be declared the winner.
On why it returned Tinubu as the winner, INEC said the APC candidate scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in 29 states of the Federation.
