PEPT Justices walk out lawyer seeking to represent Labour Party’s factional chairman, adjourn till May 20

Friday’s proceedings at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) were basically on oral presentation of motions as filed by petitions and the oral responses provided by the respondents, through their counsels, as well as, adoptions by the judges.

It is the first step before the hearing proper which follows after all the filed motions have been replied by the respondents.

It is referred to as the last procedure in court also known as ‘moving a motion.’

The day’s proceedings also included decision on the application filed by the Peoples Democratic Party/Atiku Abubakar for live coverage and broadcast of court proceedings, which was earlier and supported by Labour Party/Peter Obi but objected to by counsels to the respondents, including; INEC, APC, Tinubu and Shettima.

Remarking, at the kick off of Friday’s proceedings, Lead counsel to the PDP, Chris Uche SAN, while urging the court to strike out a motion by the respondents, noted that it appears INEC is fighting APC’s battles, which he argued is an abuse of court process.

Further, Mr Chris Uche SAN, while frowning at the act of time wasting which is rearing its head at the court proceedings at the PEPT, despite initial warning against such by the Justices, asked for 5 minutes break or a stand down to reach an agreement with the other parties on timelines for witnesses and other issues in order not to waste time.

However, counsels to the respondents, including INEC, APC, Tinubu and Shettima requested for adjournment till Monday to reach an agreement.

Following their opposition, the PDP lead counsel conceded and accepted the Monday date in order to preserve the spirit of cooperation.

Justice Tsammani overruled and asked the counsels to resume proceedings tomorrow (Saturday).

 APC lead counsel, Prince Fagbemi SAN joked that it is because of their worries about the Justices that they are asking for the Monday adjournment.

The Presiding Justice insisted and adjourned the matter to Saturday, 10am instead of Monday requested by the APC and Tinubu counsel.

Justice Tsammani is not going to tolerate time wasting.

Friday’s proceedings at the Presidential Appeal Petition Tribunal did not end without its own fair share of mild drama as an unidentified lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stood up to announce to the court that he is representing the Labour Party faction of Lamidi Apapa.

The said lawyer introduced himself as the Labour Party legal team led by Mr Awa Kalu SAN for Friday’s pre-hearing, got ready to orally present its motions before the court.

The lawyer who claimed he was instructed by the Labour Party to represent them, was shut down by the Presiding Judge, Justice Haruna Tsammani who told him to either ‘sit down quietly or leave the proceedings without getting involved.’

“There’s no way you will come in and represent LP when they have a team already representing them,” Justice Tsammani told the lawyer.

When the lawyer protested, the judge asked him to keep shut and either ‘leave or sit quietly and watch the proceedings without getting involved.’

After thoroughly reprimanding him, the judges subsequently walked him out of the courtroom.

Also, the five-member Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) led by Presiding Judge, Justice Haruna Tsammani reserved rulings in applications by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President-elect, Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking the dismissal of the petition by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP for live broadcast of the proceeding at the courtroom).