From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has adjourned till May 17, proceedings in the petition filed by Labour Party(LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The one week adjourned of the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023 was sequel to a unanimous resolution by counsel to both the petitioners and the respondents.
Led counsel to Obi and Labour Party, Dr. Livy Nzoukwu had at the commencement of proceedings, informed the tribunal about the agreement reached by both parties for a one week adjournment to enable them file and serve other processes relating to the petition.
The adjournment according to Nzoukwu, was to further allow both parties to sort out both contentious and non controversial documents that would be tendered during the hearing of the petition.
He stated, “My lords, since there are a number of processes that are yet to be filed and served on the respondents, it will be better if this matter is adjourned to Wednesday, to enable parties filed all processes and exchanged. When coming back, we will be sure that the processes are ripe for hearing.
” We further agreed that before then, we will meet and take a position on documents that are in contention and those that are not so that we don’t waste the time of court, ” Nzoukwu submitted.
Responding, all the counsel to the respondents confirmed such an agreement as presented by the petitioner’s counsel.
Counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud who was the first to respond stated: “I confirmed the position of counsel to the petitioners and that is our position.”
Wole Olanikpekun who leading the legal team of Bola Tinubu and Shettima equally confirmed the development.
It was now the turn of Lateef Fagbemi for the APC and he simply said: “We are unanimous that this procedure be adopted by the court.”
In his short ruling, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Haruna Tsammani granted the adjournment while expressing hope that if the procedure is followed, it will enhanced a speedy hearing of the petition.
He accordingly adjourned proceedings to May 17, 2023 for hearing.
The Labour Party and its candidate had on Tuesday March 21, filed a petition challenging Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election.
Peter Obi of the Labour Party came third in the election behind Atiku Abubakar and victor Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.
The petition, jointly filed by Obi and his party, has INEC, Tinubu, Shettima Kashim, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the respondents.
Petitioners argue that Mr. Tinubu should not have been eligible to run for the top office, a spokesperson for Mr. Obi’s presidential campaign told the BBC on Tuesday.
Obi’s lead lawyer, Livy Uzoukwu also argued that the president-elect “was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the time of the election.
Because Tinubu was declared winner of the election without securing 25% in the FCT, Obi, and the Labour Party want the tribunal to determine “that the 2nd Respondent (Tinubu) having failed to score one-quarter of the votes cast at the Presidential Election in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was not entitled to be declared and returned as the winner of the presidential election held on 25 February 2023.”
Obi and his Party also prayed the court to order the cancellation of the February 25 presidential election.
Obi prayed the tribunal to make an order that will ensure Tinubu and his running mate, Shettima do not participate in the fresh election.