Enhanced security measures are in place at the Court of Appeal Complex situated within the Three Arms Zone on Shehu Shagari Way, Central Business District, Abuja, as the Presidential Election Petition Court prepares to announce its judgment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this judgment pertains to three cases contesting the outcome of the presidential election held on February 25th. This event occurs approximately a month after the court concluded the closing arguments of the parties involved in the petitions and about two weeks before the statutory 180-day timeframe, within which cases filed in March must be heard and decided, expires.

The five-member panel, led by Haruna Tsammani, had previously reserved judgments on the petitions after concluding the closing arguments in early August.

Security measures surrounding the Court of Appeal Complex include the deployment of multiple security personnel drawn from various branches, such as the armed forces, police, Department of State Service (DSS), and Civil Defence. Similar security arrangements are in place within the court complex itself.

Mr. Umar Bangari, the Chief Registrar of the Court, released a statement on Monday, assuring that comprehensive security measures have been implemented to ensure the smooth delivery of judgments in the three pending petitions. Only invited representatives of political parties and the general public will be permitted access to the courtroom to prevent overcrowding and security breaches.

Media organizations interested in broadcasting the judgment live will be granted permission at no cost to the court.

As of 7:30 a.m., security operatives have commenced screening lawyers and journalists entering the premises.

Notably, heavy security presence can be observed at key government buildings, including the Federal Secretariat, the National Assembly Complex, and access points to the Presidential Villa.

It is essential to note that petitions were individually filed by Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), challenging the victory of President Tinubu. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had officially declared President Tinubu, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner with 8.8 million votes, defeating 17 other candidates in a closely contested election.

Atiku secured the second position with a total of 6,984,520 votes, followed by Obi with 6,101,533 votes, according to INEC.