Just In: Presidential Election Tribunal Stalls Tinubu’s Petition Against Opposition Party

It was a swift outing for President Bola Tinubu to quash the Allied People’s Movement APM’s petition challenging his qualification during the sitting on Monday, June 19 Monday, a development followed by a recent verdict by the Supreme Court, which ruled in a similar matter it filed before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC)

The tribunal adjourned the petition filed before it by the APM till Wednesday, June 21, for the continuation of the hearing.

The Court rejected the application of President Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to dismiss the petition filed by the Allied People’s Movement (APM).

Meanwhile, the APM is challenging the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima of the APC in the Saturday, February 25 election, Daily Trust reported.

Recall that the APM has earlier explained how it will prove the petition seeking President Tinubu’s disqualification. The APM is one of the political parties challenging the result of the February 25 presidential election in court.

A five-member panel presided by Justice Haruna Tsammani held on Monday, June 19, that acceding to Tinubu’s request and dismissing the APM’s petition would offend the fair hearing principle against the party. APM and its presidential candidate, Chichi Ojei had filed the petition based on the sole issue of Tinubu’s non-qualification to participate in the 2023 election over the alleged double nomination of his running mate, Shettima, PM News reported.

However, Tinubu’s lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun, a senior advocate of Nigeria, had cited the judgment of the Supreme Court judgment on Friday, May 26, in a related suit by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which dismissed the suit on the grounds of lack of locus standi. The court fixes a date for the hearing of APM’s petition against Tinubu and subsequently, the court again adjourned the petition filed before it by the APM till Wednesday, June 21, a for hearing.
According to Channels Television’s report, at the resumed hearing today (Monday, June 19), Justice Tsammani examined the matter critically and decided to adjourn it till Wednesday, June 21.