Presidential Election Tribunal Begins Preliminary Hearing Today
- Dismisses AA Petition Challenging Tinubu’s Victory
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja has commenced preliminary hearing of the cases by the candidates challenging the declaration by the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC as winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election.
The tribunal consist of a five-member panel of judges and is headed by Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani.
Other panel members include Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Justice Boloukuoromo Moses Ugo and Justice Abbah Mohammed.
At the commencement of the pre-hearing on Monday, Channels Television observed that there was watertight security as police operatives cordoned off the road leading to the court.
Justice Tsammani-led’s panel announced that it would commence its pre-hearing session today with three petitions.
They are the petitions by Action Alliance (AA) marked: CA/PEPC/01/2023; Action Peoples Party (APP) marked: CA/PEPC/02/2023 and Peter Obi & Labour Party (LP) marked: CA/PEPC/03/2023.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the February 25 presidential election, a situation that didn’t augur well with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party.
Aggrieved with the result, the PDP candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as well as his LP counterpart, Peter Obi are challenging the outcome of the election in court.
Meanwhile, the Tribunal has struck out the petition by the Action Alliance (AA) challenging the victory of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The presiding justice, Justice Tsammani held that the dismissal was in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Earlier, two lawyers Oba Maduabuchi (SAN) and Malachy Nwaekpe Esq announced their appearances for the AA.
Both lawyers claimed to have been instructed by different factions of the political parties to withdraw the petition.
The party’s presidential candidate, David Okonigbuan had brought the petition against INEC, APC, Bola Tinubu and Hamza Al Mustapha challenging his exclusion from the election.
The party also fielded Al-Mustapha as the presidential candidate who was listed by INEC.