Presidential Election Tribunal adjourns hearing on Obi’s petition till Wednesday
…Bars Gov Lalong from standing as representative of Tinubu.
The Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned further pre-hearing session on the petition the Labour Party and its candidate, Peter Obi filed to nullify Tinubu’s election victory, till Wednesday.
Tuesday’s proceedings will have the petitions of Atiku Abubakar and Allied People’s Movement in its schedule on the petitions challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) , Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 8,794,726 votes to win the election. While Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 6,984,520 votes, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) was third with 6,101,533 votes.
Having rejected the outcome of the polls, Atiku and Obi approached the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to annul Tinubu’s victory.
At Monday’s hearing, the tribunal headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani assured all parties involved that justice will be served.
While adjourning the cases, the court urged the parties to identify all the witness statements and documents they would rely on or object to during the actual hearing of the petitions.
In attendance at Monday’s pre-hearing are lawyers to the petitioners, journalist, Governor Simon Lalong of the APC and Mr Obi of the LP.
Other panel members include Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Justice Boloukuoromo Moses Ugo and Justice Abbah Mohammed.
Meanwhile, the tribunal barred Governor Lalong from standing before it as the representative of Tinubu.
The Plateau state governor had, immediately the first petition that was lodged against the outcome of the 2023 presidential election was called up, stood up and announced himself as Tinubu’s representative.
“My Lord’s my name is Simon Lalong and I am here to represent Tinubu,” the governor stated.
However, Justice Haruna Tsammani led a five-member panel that declined to recognise him as Tinubu’s representative. “You cannot represent an individual. Tinubu is not a corporation that would need a representative,” the presiding justice held
