The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has dismissed the petition alleging that winning at least 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is a requirement for presidential candidates to be declared winners of the election.

Haruna Simon Tsammani, chairman of the tribunal chairman, said in a ruling on Wednesday, that as the FCT does not enjoy a special status and therefore equal to every other state in Nigeria.

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Tsammani ruling was in response to a petition filed by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, challenging the election of President Bola Tinubu.

In the petition, Obi had argued that Tinubu should be disqualified from being president because he failed to win 25% of the votes cast in the FCT.

Onyinye Nwachukwu is the Abuja Bureau Chief of BusinessDay, overseeing coverage across Abuja and Northern Nigeria. With more than two decades of experience in economic and financial journalism, she reports on business, policy, and market trends, linking local developments to the global economy. A fellow of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and recipient of the P. Vishwanathan Memorial Award for Excellence in Financial Journalism, she is known for her insightful storytelling and interviews with senior policymakers, diplomats, and business leaders. Well traveled and globally minded, Onyinye brings depth and international perspective to her reporting.

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