<p>Nigeria's presidential election tribunal on Wednesday rejected an opposition challenge to Bola Tinubu's win in February's disputed vote, following a pattern seen in previous election years in Africa's most populous country.</p>

<p>No legal challenge to the outcome of a presidential election has succeeded in Nigeria, which returned to democracy in 1999 after three decades of almost uninterrupted military rule and has a history of electoral fraud.</p>

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<p>Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who came second and third respectively, had asked the court to invalidate the election, alleging irregularities.</p>

<p>Judge Haruna Tsammani, reading out a lengthy ruling on behalf of the tribunal's panel of five justices, rejected Obi's petition point-by-point. He was due to move onto Abubakar's petition next, which was also expected to be dismissed.</p>

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<p>European observers had said in June the elections were marred by problems including operational failures and a lack of transparency that reduced public trust in the process.</p>

<p>However, the elections came and went with little sign of any groundswell of popular opposition, and Tinubu has been accepted by the international community as Nigeria's legitimate leader. As the tribunal was giving its ruling, he was in India preparing to take part in the G20 summit there.</p>

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<p>Atiku and Obi can appeal to the country's Supreme Court to strike down the tribunal's ruling. Any appeal must be concluded within 60 days of the date of the tribunal judgment.</p>

<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;the judgments of the Presidential Election Petitions Court were rejected by the Labour Party (LP). The party stated that&nbsp;the court's&nbsp;judgment “did not reflect the law and the desire of the people”.</p>

<p>“Nigerians were witnesses to the electoral robbery that took place on February 25, 2023, which was globally condemned but the Tribunal in its wisdom refused to accept the obvious. What is at stake is democracy and we will not relent until the people will prevail," the party said, in a statement.</p>

<p>“We salute the doggedness of our team of lawyers who fearlessly exposed the wrath in our system. We can only weep for democracy in Nigeria but we refuse to give up on Nigeria," it added.</p>

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Nigeria's presidential election tribunal on Wednesday rejected an opposition challenge to Bola Tinubu's win in February's disputed vote, following a pattern seen in previous election years in Africa's most populous country.

Nigeria's presidential election tribunal on Wednesday rejected an opposition challenge to Bola Tinubu's win in February's disputed vote, following a pattern seen in previous election years in Africa's most populous country. No legal challenge to the outcome of a presidential election has succeeded in Nigeria, which returned to democracy in 1999 after three decades of almost uninterrupted military rule and has a history of electoral fraud. Also Read | Russia uses car tyres to cover military aircraft to deter Ukrainian drone attacks: Report Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who came second and third respectively, had asked the court to invalidate the election, alleging irregularities. Judge Haruna Tsammani, reading out a lengthy ruling on behalf of the tribunal's panel of five justices, rejected Obi's petition point-by-point. He was due to move onto Abubakar's petition next, which was also expected to be dismissed. Also Read | 'Why won't he...': Musk questions Zuckerberg regarding cage fight European observers had said in June the elections were marred by problems including operational failures and a lack of transparency that reduced public trust in the process. However, the elections came and went with little sign of any groundswell of popular opposition, and Tinubu has been accepted by the international community as Nigeria's legitimate leader. As the tribunal was giving its ruling, he was in India preparing to take part in the G20 summit there. Watch | Kenya hosts maiden climate summit in Africa × Atiku and Obi can appeal to the country's Supreme Court to strike down the tribunal's ruling. Any appeal must be concluded within 60 days of the date of the tribunal judgment. Meanwhile, the judgments of the Presidential Election Petitions Court were rejected by the Labour Party (LP). The party stated that the court's judgment “did not reflect the law and the desire of the people”. “Nigerians were witnesses to the electoral robbery that took place on February 25, 2023, which was globally condemned but the Tribunal in its wisdom refused to accept the obvious. What is at stake is democracy and we will not relent until the people will prevail," the party said, in a statement. “We salute the doggedness of our team of lawyers who fearlessly exposed the wrath in our system. We can only weep for democracy in Nigeria but we refuse to give up on Nigeria," it added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Nigerian election tribunal rejects challenge to Tinubu's presidential poll victory

<p>Nigerian President Bola Tinubu wrote a letter to the country's Senate, on Friday, seeking support from its members for military intervention in neighbouring Niger, following a military coup against President Mohamed Bazoum.</p>

<p>Tinubu requested for “military buildup and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant”, as per The Cable reports.</p>

<p>West African military chiefs have acquiesced on&nbsp;a plan for a possible intervention in Niger as a deadline for the country's junta to restore civilian rule approaches, an official from regional bloc the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said Friday.</p>

<p>On Sunday, ECOWAS&nbsp;gave the junta, that toppled the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum in a military coup, a week to either restore him or face the potential use of force.</p>

<p>ECOWAS military chiefs were meeting in Nigeria's capital Abuja to discuss ways to respond to the crisis.</p>

<p>"All the elements that will go into any eventual intervention have been worked out, including the resources needed, and including the how and when we are going deploy the force," said ECOWAS commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah.</p>

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<p>"We want diplomacy to work, and we want this message clearly transmitted to them that we are giving them every opportunity to reverse what they have done," he added.</p>

<p>Niger's junta has promised to reply "immediately" to any foreign intervention and has been holding Bazoum and his family in his official residence in the capital Niamey for nine days.</p>

<h2><strong>Military intervention in Niger will be 'declaration of war' against us, say Mali and Burkina Faso</strong></h2>

<p>Neighbouring countries of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, in a joint statement, said that any military intervention in Niger to restore deposed President Mohamed Bazoum would be considered a "declaration of war" against their countries too.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali," the two countries warned in a joint statement. It comes after West African leaders threatened to use "force" in order to reinstate Bazoum. The leaders have also spoken of possible sanctions on the putschists.</p>

<p>Mali and Burkina Faso said the "disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger... could destabilise the entire region".</p>

<p>The two refused to apply the "illegal, illegitimate and inhumane sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Nigerian President Bola Tinubu wrote a letter to the country's Senate, on Friday, seeking support from its members for military intervention in neighbouring Niger, following a military coup against President Mohamed Bazoum.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu wrote a letter to the country's Senate, on Friday, seeking support from its members for military intervention in neighbouring Niger, following a military coup against President Mohamed Bazoum. Tinubu requested for “military buildup and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant”, as per The Cable reports. West African military chiefs have acquiesced on a plan for a possible intervention in Niger as a deadline for the country's junta to restore civilian rule approaches, an official from regional bloc the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said Friday. On Sunday, ECOWAS gave the junta, that toppled the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum in a military coup, a week to either restore him or face the potential use of force. ECOWAS military chiefs were meeting in Nigeria's capital Abuja to discuss ways to respond to the crisis. "All the elements that will go into any eventual intervention have been worked out, including the resources needed, and including the how and when we are going deploy the force," said ECOWAS commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah. Also read: Ethiopia declares state of emergency after clashes in Amhara region "We want diplomacy to work, and we want this message clearly transmitted to them that we are giving them every opportunity to reverse what they have done," he added. Niger's junta has promised to reply "immediately" to any foreign intervention and has been holding Bazoum and his family in his official residence in the capital Niamey for nine days. Military intervention in Niger will be 'declaration of war' against us, say Mali and Burkina Faso Neighbouring countries of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, in a joint statement, said that any military intervention in Niger to restore deposed President Mohamed Bazoum would be considered a "declaration of war" against their countries too. "Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali," the two countries warned in a joint statement. It comes after West African leaders threatened to use "force" in order to reinstate Bazoum. The leaders have also spoken of possible sanctions on the putschists. Mali and Burkina Faso said the "disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger... could destabilise the entire region". The two refused to apply the "illegal, illegitimate and inhumane sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Niger coup: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu writes to Senate seeking support for military intervention

<p>Ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu has been declared the president-elect by Nigeria's electoral commission following a disputed weekend election. The ceremony was not attended by the two main opposition parties who demanded the vote be scrapped.</p>

<p>Tinubu later&nbsp;stood up for the integrity of the national election and called on citizens to unite around him. Opposition parties have called the election "flawed".</p>

<p>The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that All Progressives Congress (APC) party candidate Tinubu won 8.79 million votes. Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar garnered 6.9 million votes, while Labour Party's Peter Obi won 6.1 million votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I am very happy I have been elected the president of the federal republic of Nigeria," Tinubu said to cheers in Abuja. "This is a serious mandate. I hereby accept it."</p>

<p>The electoral process in the country encountered problems since new technology was being used in the elections. However, there were issues with the functioning of the system and Nigeria's notoriously inadequate communications network could not handle it.</p>

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<p>The&nbsp;INEC had earlier said that the results from each polling unit will be uploaded to its website in real time. However, the entire thing faced several hurdles and many units were unable to do so immediately, leading to distrust in the process.</p>

<p>Thousands of results have still to be uploaded.</p>

<p>The failings in the system have led the main opposition parties of Atiku and Obi to reject the results as fraudulent.</p>

<p>"I commend INEC for running a credible election no matter what anybody says," Tinubu said. "The lapses that were reported, they were relatively few in number and were immaterial to affect the final outcome of the election."</p>

<p>Tinubu's victory extends the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party's grip on power in Africa's most populous nation, which is also Africa's top oil producer.</p>

<p>According to Nigerian electoral law, a candidate simply needs more votes than their rivals to win, provided they get 25 per cent of the vote in at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the federal capital Abuja.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu has been declared the president-elect by Nigeria's electoral commission following a disputed weekend election. The ceremony was not attended by the two main opposition parties who demanded the vote be scrapped.

Ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu has been declared the president-elect by Nigeria's electoral commission following a disputed weekend election. The ceremony was not attended by the two main opposition parties who demanded the vote be scrapped. Tinubu later stood up for the integrity of the national election and called on citizens to unite around him. Opposition parties have called the election "flawed". The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that All Progressives Congress (APC) party candidate Tinubu won 8.79 million votes. Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar garnered 6.9 million votes, while Labour Party's Peter Obi won 6.1 million votes. "I am very happy I have been elected the president of the federal republic of Nigeria," Tinubu said to cheers in Abuja. "This is a serious mandate. I hereby accept it." The electoral process in the country encountered problems since new technology was being used in the elections. However, there were issues with the functioning of the system and Nigeria's notoriously inadequate communications network could not handle it. × The INEC had earlier said that the results from each polling unit will be uploaded to its website in real time. However, the entire thing faced several hurdles and many units were unable to do so immediately, leading to distrust in the process. Thousands of results have still to be uploaded. The failings in the system have led the main opposition parties of Atiku and Obi to reject the results as fraudulent. "I commend INEC for running a credible election no matter what anybody says," Tinubu said. "The lapses that were reported, they were relatively few in number and were immaterial to affect the final outcome of the election." Tinubu's victory extends the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party's grip on power in Africa's most populous nation, which is also Africa's top oil producer. According to Nigerian electoral law, a candidate simply needs more votes than their rivals to win, provided they get 25 per cent of the vote in at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the federal capital Abuja. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nigeria elections: Ruling party's Bola Tinubu declared president-elect in spite of oppn uproar

<p>Bola Tinubu, the president-elect of Nigeria, has largely operated from behind the scenes during his political stint.&nbsp;He is considered a "godfather" who supports political candidates via his extensive network of patrons. With Tinubu's help, former president Muhammadu Buhari was successful in obtaining two terms in office, in 2015 and 2019.&nbsp;And Tinubu has chosen each succeeding victor to lead the greatest city in Africa since he stepped down as governor of Lagos in 2007, as per a Reuters report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tinubu’s power will now be put to the test as he works to address Nigeria's challenges and surpass Buhari's poor track record.</p>

<h2>Bola Tinubu:&nbsp;<strong>Early life&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Tinubu was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1952, to a Muslim family of the Yoruba ethnic group, which makes up the majority in southwest Nigeria, according to a biography on his <a href="https://batcampaign2023.site/">campaign website</a>.</p>

<p>He immigrated to the United States in the 1970s and supported his academic pursuits by working as a night guard, dishwasher, and taxi driver. He earned his business administration degree from Chicago State University in 1979, as per a Reuters report.</p>

<p>When he returned to Nigeria in the 1980s after working for US consulting firms, he took a job as an auditor with a branch of the Mobil oil company.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigeria-elections-bola-tinubu-declared-president-elect-567000">Nigeria elections: Ruling party's Bola Tinubu declaared president-elect in spite of oppn uproar</a></p>

<h2><strong>What is Nigeria going through?</strong></h2>

<p>Nigeria's economy is barely keeping up with population growth amid &nbsp;inflation and crippling cash shortages as a result of a botched launch of new banknotes, as armed groups have made large portions of the nation ungovernable.</p>

<p>As Tinubu ran for president under Buhari, many of these issues grew worse. While he helped shape the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, when asked at a weekend press briefing why people should elect him, he said, “My track record should speak for me. Look at Lagos: Before I came, we had dead bodies on the road, a chaotic traffic system, and robbery daytime, and nighttime.”</p>

<p>“Come on: clap for me,” he added in an appearance typical of the hubris that often marks leaders of Africa’s top oil producer and most populous country, reports&nbsp;Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What do Tinubu's supporters view him as?</strong></h2>

<p>Supporters of Tinubu view him as a capable technocrat who has a history of being a successful administrator.</p>

<p>He co-founded and provided funding for the Alliance for Democracy, which later changed its name to the Action Congress of Nigeria, and then assisted in the formation of the APC. His supporters describe&nbsp;him as a shrewd political strategist.</p>

<p>He played a key role in uniting the All Progressives Congress (APC) divisions, enabling Buhari to win in 2015 and overthrow the opposition People's Democratic Party&nbsp;(PDP) after 16 years in office.</p>

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<p>Tinubu's political clout was largely responsible for Buhari's election, the first triumph for the opposition in the nation, and his re-election in 2019.</p>

<p>Opponents claim he rewards loyalists with lucrative contracts and high-paying jobs and has in the past used so-called "area boys," who formally run Lagos' streets and frequently show up at his rallies, to threaten opponents if he doesn't get his way.</p>

<p>The 70-year-old tends to disregard such accusations rather than respond to them. In spite of persistent attempts to respond, Tinubu's campaign spokesperson remained silent.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Corruption charges&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Concerns have been raised about Tinubu's financial transactions while in office.</p>

<p>He is regarded&nbsp;as one of Nigeria's wealthiest politicians, and when he left the government, he was charged with money laundering, corruption, and running more than a dozen overseas bank accounts. He says he did nothing illegal and was never prosecuted, says&nbsp;a report&nbsp;by Aljazeera.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was described as "wobbly, wonky, and narcotic-devastated" by PDP opponents on the campaign trail in reference to his health issues and a 1993 US court document that detailed a "drug-related confiscation of property" from his US bank account.</p>

<p>He has stakes in a variety of businesses, including media, aviation, tax consulting, hotels, and real estate holdings, although it is unknown where his fortune comes from.</p>

<p>A critic called him "a greedy politician" who had exhausted&nbsp;significant sources of income in Lagos, as per Al Jazeera.</p>

<h2><strong>A tight race in Nigeria</strong></h2>

<p>For the first time since Nigeria's military coup ended in 1999, the election was tight when Obi, 61, attracted younger voters with his message of change.</p>

<p>In Lagos, Tinubu's traditional stronghold and the state with the most registered voters, he achieved a significant win, as reported by AFP.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigerian-opposition-parties-protest-election-results-566845">Nigerian opposition parties protest election results</a></p>

<p>The 76-year-old businessman and former vice president Abubakar failed in his sixth bid for the presidency.</p>

<p>The vote on Saturday was largely calm but was marred by protracted wait times at some polling places and some claims of intimidation.</p>

<p>Concerns of vote tampering increased when technical difficulties prevented the results from being uploaded to INEC's main website.</p>

<p>"The election is irretrievably compromised," Labour Party chairman Julius Abure told AFP&nbsp;on Tuesday. "We demand that this sham of an election should be immediately cancelled," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Bola Tinubu, the president-elect of Nigeria, has largely operated from behind the scenes during his political stint. He is considered a "godfather" who supports political candidates via his extensive network of patrons.

Bola Tinubu, the president-elect of Nigeria, has largely operated from behind the scenes during his political stint. He is considered a "godfather" who supports political candidates via his extensive network of patrons. With Tinubu's help, former president Muhammadu Buhari was successful in obtaining two terms in office, in 2015 and 2019. And Tinubu has chosen each succeeding victor to lead the greatest city in Africa since he stepped down as governor of Lagos in 2007, as per a Reuters report. Tinubu’s power will now be put to the test as he works to address Nigeria's challenges and surpass Buhari's poor track record. Bola Tinubu: Early life Tinubu was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1952, to a Muslim family of the Yoruba ethnic group, which makes up the majority in southwest Nigeria, according to a biography on his campaign website. He immigrated to the United States in the 1970s and supported his academic pursuits by working as a night guard, dishwasher, and taxi driver. He earned his business administration degree from Chicago State University in 1979, as per a Reuters report. When he returned to Nigeria in the 1980s after working for US consulting firms, he took a job as an auditor with a branch of the Mobil oil company. ALSO READ | Nigeria elections: Ruling party's Bola Tinubu declaared president-elect in spite of oppn uproar What is Nigeria going through? Nigeria's economy is barely keeping up with population growth amid inflation and crippling cash shortages as a result of a botched launch of new banknotes, as armed groups have made large portions of the nation ungovernable. As Tinubu ran for president under Buhari, many of these issues grew worse. While he helped shape the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, when asked at a weekend press briefing why people should elect him, he said, “My track record should speak for me. Look at Lagos: Before I came, we had dead bodies on the road, a chaotic traffic system, and robbery daytime, and nighttime.” “Come on: clap for me,” he added in an appearance typical of the hubris that often marks leaders of Africa’s top oil producer and most populous country, reports Reuters. What do Tinubu's supporters view him as? Supporters of Tinubu view him as a capable technocrat who has a history of being a successful administrator. He co-founded and provided funding for the Alliance for Democracy, which later changed its name to the Action Congress of Nigeria, and then assisted in the formation of the APC. His supporters describe him as a shrewd political strategist. He played a key role in uniting the All Progressives Congress (APC) divisions, enabling Buhari to win in 2015 and overthrow the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) after 16 years in office. Tinubu's political clout was largely responsible for Buhari's election, the first triumph for the opposition in the nation, and his re-election in 2019. Opponents claim he rewards loyalists with lucrative contracts and high-paying jobs and has in the past used so-called "area boys," who formally run Lagos' streets and frequently show up at his rallies, to threaten opponents if he doesn't get his way. The 70-year-old tends to disregard such accusations rather than respond to them. In spite of persistent attempts to respond, Tinubu's campaign spokesperson remained silent. Corruption charges Concerns have been raised about Tinubu's financial transactions while in office. He is regarded as one of Nigeria's wealthiest politicians, and when he left the government, he was charged with money laundering, corruption, and running more than a dozen overseas bank accounts. He says he did nothing illegal and was never prosecuted, says a report by Aljazeera. He was described as "wobbly, wonky, and narcotic-devastated" by PDP opponents on the campaign trail in reference to his health issues and a 1993 US court document that detailed a "drug-related confiscation of property" from his US bank account. He has stakes in a variety of businesses, including media, aviation, tax consulting, hotels, and real estate holdings, although it is unknown where his fortune comes from. A critic called him "a greedy politician" who had exhausted significant sources of income in Lagos, as per Al Jazeera. A tight race in Nigeria For the first time since Nigeria's military coup ended in 1999, the election was tight when Obi, 61, attracted younger voters with his message of change. In Lagos, Tinubu's traditional stronghold and the state with the most registered voters, he achieved a significant win, as reported by AFP. ALSO READ | Nigerian opposition parties protest election results The 76-year-old businessman and former vice president Abubakar failed in his sixth bid for the presidency. The vote on Saturday was largely calm but was marred by protracted wait times at some polling places and some claims of intimidation. Concerns of vote tampering increased when technical difficulties prevented the results from being uploaded to INEC's main website. "The election is irretrievably compromised," Labour Party chairman Julius Abure told AFP on Tuesday. "We demand that this sham of an election should be immediately cancelled," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

EXPLAINED | Everything about Bola Tinubu, Nigeria's president-elect