The Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal has declared that the petition of Peter Obi claiming President Bola Tinubu did not secure 25 per cent votes in the FCT is irrelevant.

Justice Haruna Tsammani on Wednesday said the FCT does not enjoy a special status in that Nigerians residing there are not superior to citizens in other states; hence, Mr Tinubu’s election triumph cannot be invalidated mainly because he did not score 25 per cent votes in the federal capital.

“The second (Tinubu) and third (Shettima) respondents have averred that the FCT does not enjoy a special status over other the states of the federation and that Abuja is still inhabited by Nigerians who are deemed equal to Nigerians in any other part of Nigeria and residents of Abuja are not conferred with any privilege or advantage that is not afforded to citizens of other communities or states of Nigeria. We are, therefore, of the view that the petition is irrelevant,” the tribunal declared.

Mr Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party had, in their petitions challenging Mr Tinubu’s victory, argued that the president did not secure 25 per cent of valid votes in Abuja.

Mr Tinubu had 19 per cent of valid votes in the FCT.