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 adjournment of the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023 was a sequel to a unanimous resolution by counsel to both the petitioners and the respondents.
Led counsel to Obi and the LP, 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 to 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 file all processes and exchange. 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 the court.”
Responding, all the counsel to the respondents confirmed such an agreement as presented by the petitioner’s counsel.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abubakar Mahmoud, who was the first to respond, stated: “I confirmed the position of counsel to the petitioners, and that is our position.”
Leading the legal team of Bola Tinubu and Shettima, Wole Olanikpekun equally confirmed the development.
Fagbemi, on behalf of the APC, 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 would enhance a speedy hearing of the petition.
He accordingly adjourned proceedings to May 17, 2023, for a hearing.
The LP and its candidate had on Tuesday, March 21, filed a petition challenging Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election.
the party’s presidential candidate came third in the election behind Atiku Abubakar and the winner, Tinubu of the APC.
The petition, jointly filed by Obi and his party, has INEC, Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, and the APC as the respondents.
