…as Judge warns lawyers against unnecessary delay, technicalities, others
By Udesinanna Stephen
The presiding judge, for the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani had said lawyers representing petitioners should avoid sensational comments, and unnecessary objections and technicalities so that the Judges can assess the case.
He said this in his opening remarks to commence hearing of the petitions demanding the nullification of the outcome of the 2023 presidential election that led to the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President-elect.
Tsammani said: “As we commence hearing of the petitions, let us avoid making sensational comments. Let us consider the safety and interest of the country, that is paramount.
“We should avoid unnecessary time-wasting applications and objections, so that we can look at the substance of the case rather than unnecessary technicalities.
“Let us co-operate with each other, so, that every one will be satisfied that justice has been done.”
More so, the Vanguard reported that, the tribunal held its inaugural session, a legal activity that comes before the main hearing of petitions, at the session, a five-member panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal would determine all the five petitions challenging the emergence of Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the presidential election.
While the panel will be headed by the Presiding Justice (PJ) of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, Justice Haruna Tsammani, other members of the panel are; Justice Stephen Adah (PJ Asaba Division), Justice Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf (Asaba Division), Justice Boluokuromo Ugo (Kano Division) and Justice Abba Mohammed (Ibadan Division).
Five political parties – Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Party (APP), Labour Party (LP), Allied People’s Movement (APM) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – have filed petitions seeking the nullification of the election of Bola Tinubu of APC.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner of the election with 8,794,726 votes. PDP’s Atiku Abubakar came second with 6,984,520 votes, and LP’s Peter Obi third with 6,101,533 votes.
In another development the Action Alliance, AA, yesterday, withdrew the petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
The party, through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, applied to discontinue further proceedings in the matter, shortly after the court, kick-started its pre-hearing session, according to Dailytrust.
Also, the court barred Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State from standing before it as the representative of Tinubu.
The court proceeding is commencing 21 days to the May 29, swearing date of the President-elect, Tinubu.