The pre-hearing of the appeal Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, filed against Bola Tinubu, the President-elect, has been moved by the Presidential Election Tribunal to Thursday.
The former vice president and his party, the PDP, have filed a case in court to have Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election declared invalid.
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Atiku had alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rigged the election in Tinubu’s benefit.
The PDP presidential candidate charged the court in his petition filed against Tinubu to declare him as the President-elect.
Meanwhile, Atiku’s lawyer, Chris Uche while addressing the court on Tuesday said some people (Tinubu, INEC) rely on 4 am to make their announcement.
Chris Uche SAN, the petitioners’ attorney, noted during Tuesday’s sessions that they had filed and served a motion dated May 7th asking for a live broadcast of the presidential tribunal proceeding.
He noted that the application was a motion of priority which requires immediate attention given the national importance of the issue at hand.
We urge your Lordship to set it down for hearing and adoption as soon as the court’s business may allow.
Responding, counsel for INEC, A.B Mahmoud acknowledged the application which he described as “innocuous” and requested time to respond “being served yesterday.”
On his part, counsel for the 2nd respondent, Lateef Fagbemi said they received the application and “we are taking steps to respond appropriately to the application.”
Responding further, Uche SAN argued that he was just hearing that the 2nd and 3rd respondents have filed on the matter adding that in the spirit of cooperation, they are prepared to accept service in the open court.
We pray that the parties don’t insist on the maximum length of time if we are to make progress.
However, Fagbemi reacted to his claim and objected to it. According to him, “The motion was filed by 9:30am and not in the open court. If he said counsels should cooperate, we will follow the time and we will not flout the rules.”
Consequently, Justice Tsammani asked parties to settle all issues for objections and determination responding that the application for a live broadcast of the proceeding “will be considered together with the other issues.”
He thereafter adjourned the pre-hearing of the petition against Tinubu to Thursday, May 11, 2023, by 2pm.
