In a significant ruling, the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal has unequivocally affirmed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) does not hold a superior status to that of other states across the nation. This declaration was made by Justice Haruna Tsammani, the presiding judge of the five-member tribunal, during its session on Wednesday in the federal capital, Abuja.

Justice Tsammani referenced Section 134 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) to underscore the criteria for a presidential candidate’s victory. According to these constitutional provisions, a presidential candidate must secure a majority of votes in a presidential election when competing against two or more candidates. Additionally, the candidate must garner at least 25% of the vote in two-thirds of the 36 states, along with the Federal Capital Territory, in order to meet the constitutional prerequisite for being duly elected as the President of Nigeria. This ruling carries substantial implications for the country’s electoral landscape and underscores the significance of uniformity in electoral standards across all regions.