Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal will on Thursday by 2 pm consider the motion for live coverage, filed by petitioners challenging the election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Justice Haruna Tsammani has disclosed that the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal will on Thursday by 2 pm consider the motion for live coverage, filed by petitioners challenging the election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Justice Tsammani, leading a five-member panel of the presidential election petition court, made the disclosure on Tuesday.
The presidential election petition court had adjourned pre-hearing in the petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action People’s Movement (APM) until Thursday listening to the adoption of answers by all the counsel in the petitions.
Atiku and the PDP in a petition dated March 21, 2023 are challenging the outcome of the 25th February presidential election. Respondents in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023 are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st, Tinubu as 2nd and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as 3rd.
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At the resumed pre-hearing, Chris Uche, SAN counsel for the petitioners, Atiku and PDP adopted their answers in the pre-hearing filed on April 27. He added that the filed Motion on notice dated May 7 and served on all the respondents was for permission to televise the sitting nationwide.
Counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud SAN adopted their answers in the pre-hearing information sheet filed on May 2. Responding to the live coverage, he said they will await a formal response.
Similarly, counsel to Tinubu, Akin Olujimi, SAN adopted their answers in the pre-hearing information sheet filed on May 2. He added that they have some applications to strike out this petition in addition to others. Responding to the live coverage prayed by the petitioners, he said they will reply at the appropriate time.
Lastly, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, counsel to APC also adopted their answers and filed their answers on May 2. In paragraph 14 of the answers, the 3rd respondent on May 8 filed two applications, one seeking the competence of the petition and the dismissal of the petition. He added that the 2nd one is seeking the striking out of the answers by the petitioners. Responding to the motion for live coverage by the petitioners, he said they will reply at the appropriate time.
In adjourning until Thursday for the continuation of the pre-hearing session at 2 pm, the panel led by Justice Tsammani advised parties to harmonise their answers for consideration at the next adjourned date. He added that the motion for live coverage by the petitioners filed on May 7 will be considered along with others.
Recall that the presidential election tribunal had earlier warned lawyers involved in the matter against technicalities.
Meanwhile, a petition marked CA/PEPC/04/ by the Allied People’s Movement (APM), challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election, was also heard.
The respondents are Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Action Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, Sen. Kashim Shettima and Kabir Madari.
Counsel to the petitioners, S. A. Abubakar told the panel that on behalf of the petitioners, they filed a motion on April 21 and adopted it as answers to rely on during the proceedings.
Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN counsel to INEC adopted their answers filed on May 5 as their response to the petition.
Lateef Fagbemi, SAN , counsel for APC also adopted their answers filed on May 2. He, however, informed the panel that they filed two motions on May 8 which would be taken at the appropriate time.
Akin Olujimi for Tinubu and Shettima also adopted their answers filed on May 3.
Lastly, Mr Toni Aliyu, SAN also adopted their answers filed on May 2 with two applications to be heard at the appropriate time.
According to the APM, Tinubu and Shettima were not qualified to contest the election on the grounds of the alleged double nomination of the vice president-elect.
The panel headed by Justice Tsammani after listening, directed parties to harmonise their answers and consider what to be taken and what not.
He further adjourned the pre-hearing until Thursday.
- TheNewsGuru.com
