As Presidential Election Petition Tribunal begins sitting, here’s what to expect
By Ishaya Ibrahim
On Monday May 8, Justice Monica Bolnaan Dongban-Mensem would formally unveil the five members of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) that would adjudicate on the petitions filed against the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the disputed 2023 Presidential election.
The five tribunal Judges are
- Haruna Tsammani (Court of Appeal Chief Registrar, Tribunal Head)
- Stephen Adah (Court of Appeal, Asaba Division)
- Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf (Court of Appeal, Asaba Division)
- Boloukuoromo Ugoh (Court of Appeal, Kano Division)
- Abba Mohammed (Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division)
The first order of business for the panel would be to resolve the demand of the Action Alliance (AA) and its Presidential Candidate in the election, Solomon David Okanigbuan notifying the tribunal of their intentions to withdraw their petition against the declaration of Tinubu as Nigeria’s President-elect.
Other petitions slated for the pre-hearing session are those of the Action People’s Party (APP) marked CA/PEPC/02/2023, which has Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.
It would be followed by that of Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) marked CA/PEPC/03/2023 with INEC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shetima and APC as respondents.
A Cause List of the tribunal for May 8th showed that the Allied People’s Movement (APM) would proceed with its petition marked CA/PEPC/04/2023 against Tinubu.
Defendants in APM’s petition are INEC, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kashim Shetima and one Kabir Masari.
The petition by Abubakar Atiku and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) marked CA/ PEPC/05/2023, would be treated last and has INEC, Tinubu Bola Ahmed and the APC as three respondents.