The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Wednesday dismissed an appeal by the main opposition candidate to overturn the result of February’s presidential election in which Muhammadu Buhari was returned to office.
Atiku Abubakar lodged his initial complaint with the country’s election tribunal, which ruled against him last month. Tuesday’s decision is likely to end the former vice president’s ambition to govern Africa’s most populous country.
The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed Atiku’s appeal as “lacking merit”, saying in a short statement it would issue a more detailed reasoning for its decision later.
Buhari took 56% of the vote against 41% for Atiku, according to electoral commission data. A Buhari victory had been widely anticipated.
Every election result has been contested since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, with the exception of the 2015 poll in which Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat to Buhari. (Reuters/AtlanticPost)
