…as apex court hears Atiku, Obi, APM’s suits against Tinubu
Supreme Court will on Monday hear the appeals filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi and the All Progressives Movement challenging the judgment which affirmed President Bola Tinubu’s victory.
Last Thursday, the apex court sent out hearing notices to the counsels for the respective parties.
Atiku and the PDP had filed a petition challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
The petitioners, among several issues raised, alleged that the election was fraught with irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
They also alleged that Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima were not qualified to contest and did not win the election by the majority of lawful votes cast.
But the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, in its judgment on September 6, held that Abubakar failed to prove all the averments in his petition.
Not satisfied, the PDP candidate filed an appeal before the apex court on September 18.
The appellants, in the 35-ground notice of appeal, submitted that the tribunal’s findings had “grave errors and gross misrepresentation” which resulted in a miscarriage of justice.
The appellants are therefore praying the Supreme Court to set aside the findings and conclusions of the tribunal.
Atiku in a separate application, asked the court to grant him leave to file fresh evidence against Tinubu.
The PDP candidate had alleged that Tinubu’s academic records were fraught with discrepancies and forgeries.
Atiku’s request for an order compelling the Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records has since been granted by a US court. The PDP candidate is seeking to introduce them before the apex court
Tinubu, in his response, described the appeal as “abusive in nature” and prayed for its dismissal.
Tinubu is also challenging the application for the introduction of fresh evidence.
The President said the allegation of certificate forgery was not introduced in Abubakar’s petition at the tribunal, and thus, his academic records obtained from CSU cannot be considered by the Supreme Court.
By law, the Supreme Court has 60 days from the date of the tribunal’s verdict to deliver its own judgment.
The 60 days timeline would elapse on November 5.