Presidential election tribunal: Peter Obi attends inaugural sitting

Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal headed by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has fixed May 15 to conduct a pre-hearing session on the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The date was fixed in the presence of the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi, who was at the tribunal to witness the proceedings.

Other members of the panel are Justices Abdul Aboki, Samuel Oseji, Joseph Ikyeghn and Peter Olabisi Ige.

Before the tribunal are a total of four petitions filed challenging the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the February 23 poll.

Aside the petition marked CA/PEPC/002/2019, which was entered against Buhari by the PDP and its candidate Atiku on March 18, the second petition marked CA/PEPC/001/2019, was by the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) Chief Ambrose Owuru who secured a total of 1,663 in the election. While the third petition, CA/PEPC/004/2019, was lodged by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) Pastor Aminchi Habu, who is seeking a fresh election on the basis that his party’s logo was not included in the ballot paper. The last petition with suit No. CA/PEPC/003/2019, was filed by the Coalition For Change (C4C) and its presidential candidate, Geff Chizee Ojinka, who are contending that Buhari’s re-election was vitiated by substantial noncompliance with mandatory statutory provisions. The petitioners maintained that the irregularity substantially affected the election, “such that the 1st Respondent was not entitled to be returned as the Winner of the Presidential election.”

Meanwhile, Justice Bulkachuwa, who conducted the inaugural sitting of the tribunal, sought the cooperation of all parties, urging the lawyers to conduct themselves with decorum and a high sense of responsibility so as to help the court arrive at justice in the case being considered.

Justice Bulkachuwa maintained that all parties would be accorded equal treatment by the tribunal, which she said would sit daily.

She warned parties to desist from discussing the matter in the media, saying the case should be treated confidentiality.

The court, she said, would be guided by the constitution and international best practices to ensure that justice is served.

So far two petitions filed by the Hope Democratic Party and its candidate Ambrose Awuru, as well as the PDP and Atik, have been called and adjourned for pre-hearing session.

While HDP’s petition was adjourned till May 14, the PDP’s was fixed for May 15.