The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Rescue Movement, Senator Saidu Muhammad Dansadau has averred that there will be consequences if Bola Tinubu loses in court over his failure to have secured 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory.
There will be consequences after the 2023 election, according to Senator Saidu Muhammad Dansadau, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Rescue Movement, if Bola Tinubu loses in court over the fact that he didn’t obtain 25% of the vote in the Federal Capital Territory.
The senator stated in an interview with Arise Tv News that Tinubu’s legal defeat would give the FCT the power to veto the outcome of any election.
He said that given that the President-elect received 25% of the vote in 28 states across the Federation, it is unjust to proclaim him the loser solely because he did not obtain it in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Senator Saidu Muhammad Dansadau noted that Section 134 of the Nigerian Constitution is one of the provisions that cannot be viewed in isolation.
He said, “If you recall, Mr. Peter Obi accused Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the incoming president, in a petition. He argued that Tinubu shouldn’t have been declared the winner because he received less than 25% of the vote in the FCT.
The former Senator that represented Zamfara Central Constituency said, “I just watched Dr. Olisa Agbakoba talking about the FCT situation. I ought to call out immediately that certain provisions of the Nigerian constitution cannot be understood irrespective of other parts of the Constitution.
“According to the constitution, a candidate must get 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of the federation’s states as well as the FCT in order to be declared victorious in addition to a majority of votes. We must take into account the constitution’s spirit, not just its letter. The main reason for having this section is to guarantee that a select few states can elect the president of Nigeria.
“You would no longer be saying that Tinubu won the election if he had earned 25% in 28 of the federation’s states but not in the Federal Capital Territory. In the event that Tinubu loses the FCT and is not elected president, we are giving the FCT the right to veto the election. It is also an unjust consequence of what we are doing.”