As Action Alliance withdraws petition
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Justice Haruna Tsammani of the Abuja Court of Appeal, is to head the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) which on Monday, began its sitting in Abuja.
Other members of the five -man panel include: Justice Stephen Adah of the Court of Appeal Asaba division; Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, also of Asaba Division of the Court of Appeal; Justice Boloukuoromo Ugoh of Kano Division; and Justice Abba Mohammed of Ibadan Court of Appeal.
In his remarks during the inaugural sitting of the panel, the Chairman, Justice Tsammani warned Counsels to all the parties that the panel would not tolerate unnecessary technicalities.
He, however, stated the readiness of the Court to discharge the petition dispassionately and expeditiously, assuring that justice will be served.
“We are determined to look at the matter dispassionately and give justice to whoever deserves justice,” he declared.
He noted that the tribunal would consider the substance of each case over technicalities so that “whoever leaves here will be satisfied that justice has been done.”
Five political parties and their candidates are respectively challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election on grounds of non-compliance with the electoral laws as well as the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
As further disclosed by the presiding judge, “the petitions to be considered today during the pre-hearing would be the first three petitions while the 4th and 5th petitions can take off tomorrow.”
They are marked CA/PEPC/01/2023 by the Action Alliance party and its standard bearer, Solomon Okanigbuan; CA/PEPC/02/2023 filed by the Action People’s Party as the sole petitioner; and CA/PEP/03/2023 by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
He said the cases will be alternated until the pre-hearing comes to an end.
“Then we will alternate until we finish the pre-hearing,” Tsammani remarked further.
Meanwhile, at the commencement of the pre-hearing, the Action Alliance withdrew its petition against the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No reason was given for the withdrawal.
