The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has adjourned pre-hearing in the petitions filed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Action Peoples Movement (APM) until Thursday, May 11.

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

Atiku and the PDP in the petition dated March 21, 2023, are challenging the outcome of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

Respondents in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st, Bola Tinubu, as 2nd, and All Progressives Congress (APC) as 3rd.

At the resumed pre-hearing, Chris Uche, SAN, the counsel for the petitioners, Atiku and PDP, adopted their answers in the pre-hearing filed on April 27.

He added that the filed motion on notice dated May 7 and served on all the respondents for permission to televise the sitting nationwide.

Counsel for INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, adopted their answers in the pre-hearing information sheet filed on May 2.

Responding to the live coverage, he said they will await for a former response.

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Similarly, counsel for Tinubu, Akin Olujimi, SAN, adopted their answers in the pre-hearing information sheet filed on May 2.

He added that they have some applications to strike out this petition in addition to others.

Responding to the live coverage prayed by the petitioners, he said they will reply at the appropriate time.

Also, the counsel for APC, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, adopted their answers filed on May 2.

In paragraph 14 of the answers, the 3rd respondent, on May 8, filed two applications with one seeking the competent of the petition and dismissal of the petition.

He added that the 2nd one is seeking the striking out of the answers by the petitioners.

Responding to the motion for live coverage by the petitioners, he said they will reply at the appropriate time.

The panel led by Justice Tsammani, therefore, adjourned until Thursday for the continuation of the pre-hearing session at 2 p.m.

He advised parties to harmonise their answers for consideration at the next adjourned date, adding that the motion for live coverage by the petitioners filed on May 7 will be considered alongside others.

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

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

The counsel for the petitioners, S.A. Abubakar, told the panel that on behalf of the petitioners, filed on April 21 and adopted it as answers to rely on during the proceedings.

The counsel for INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, adopted their answers filed on May 5 as their response to the petition.

The counsel for APC, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, also adopted their answers filed on May 2.

He, however, informed the panel that they filed two motions on May 8 which would be taken at the appropriate time.

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Akin Olujimi for Tinubu and Shettima also adopted their answers filed on May 3.

Toni Aliyu, SAN also adopted their answers filed on May 2 with two applications to be heard at the appropriate time.

According to the APM, Tinubu and Shettima were not qualified to contest the election on the grounds of the alleged double nomination of the vice president-elect.

The panel headed by Justice Tsammani after listening directed parties to harmonise their answers and consider what to be taken and otherwise.

He further adjourned the pre-hearing until Thursday.

The tribunal started pre-hearing on Monday and will hear four petitions challenging INEC’s declaration of Tinubu winner of the February 25 presidential election.

The Star