The Presidential Election Petition Court has adjourned the continuation of the pre-hearing of the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the election of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to May 18, 2023.

The tribunal also adjourned the petition filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) until May 18.

The five-member panel, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, made the declaration after listening to the agreement by all the counsel in the petitions.

“The parties having agreed to have the motions taken on Thursday, the petition is further adjourned until May 18 for continuation,” he said.

Justice Tsammani also commended the effort of the parties which would help to hasten the proceedings.

The PDP and Atiku, in the petition dated March 21 and marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, are challenging the declaration of Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Respondents in the petition are INEC as 1st, Tinubu as 2nd, and the APC as 3rd.

The counsel for the petitioners, Chris Uche, SAN, said for the sake of a seamless progression of a pre-hearing session they have agreed on harmonising documents.

“Counsel for respective parties have met to harmonise and to streamline the vital areas.

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“We have a motion filed May 7. We are yet to receive a reply. That was the one we talked about televisIng the proceedings,” he said.

He also informed the court that they have agreed to come back on Thursday.

Also, the counsel for INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, corroborated Uche.

He told the court that they have already constituted a team for that.

“We have received the issues for determination from the petitioners.

“We will file by the end of today as well as the reply for motion seeking live coverage of the proceedings,” Mahmoud added.

He informed the court that they have one application which sought to strike out some paragraphs.

Wole Olanipakun, SAN, the counsel for Tinubu, also confirmed Uche’s statement

Counsel for the APC, Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwen, SAN, told the court they confirmed Uche’s statement and have sent the list of counsel.

Similarly, the APM in a petition marked CA/PEPC/04/ challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election was also heard.

The respondents are INEC, APC, Tinubu, Sen. Kashim Shettima, and Kabir Madari.

The counsel for the APM, Olufemi Aweda, informed the court that they have also met and agreed on harmonising their processes.

Another counsel in the petition confirmed his statement.

The petition was also adjourned until May 18 for continuation of pre- hearing.

The Star