Tobias Sylvester
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has adjourned pre-hearing in the petitions filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
KanyiDaily recalls that Atiku and the PDP in the petition dated March 21, 2023, are challenging the election of Bola Tinubu as president-elect.
At the pre-hearing session on Tuesday, May 9, the counsel to Atiku and the PDP, Chris Uche told the court that he has filed the necessary processes for pre-hearing.
Uche also told the court that he has filed a motion, seeking to have the proceedings televised due to the national interest around the case.
The senior advocate said the application should be given priority at the commencement of the hearing.
Lawyers to the respondents in the suit noted that they had filed their various responses to the petition.
Lateef Fagbemi, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), also told the court that he has filed two motions seeking to dismiss the petition and to strike out the responses of the petitioners.
Other lawyers for the respondents are Abubakar Mahmoud, for INEC and Akin Olujinmi for Tinubu.
The respondents also said they will file their responses within the time allowed by the rules of the court.
After counsels adopted their various responses, a five-member panel of the tribunal led by Haruna Tsammani, ordered the lawyers to meet and harmonise their positions in respect of documents to be tendered, those they will object to and those to allow.
The panel adjourned further pre-hearing to Thursday by 2 pm.
KanyiDaily recalls that the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) had also adjourned a petition filed by Peter Obi challenging the 2023 general election.
