The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, yesterday, commenced hearing in the petitions seeking to nullify the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
Though, the tribunal held its inaugural session, a legal ritual that precedes the actual hearing of petitions, at the session, a five-member panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal would determine all the five petitions challenging the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the presidential election, were revealed.
While the panel will be headed by the Presiding Justice (PJ) of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, Justice Haruna Tsammani, other members of the panel are; Justice Stephen Adah (PJ Asaba Division), Justice Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf (Asaba Division), Justice Boluokuromo Ugo (Kano Division) and Justice Abba Mohammed (Ibadan Division).
In his opening remarks, the presiding judge, Justice Tsammani, urged lawyers representing all the petitioners to avoid sensational comments, stressing that the court would not tolerate time-wasting tactics and technicalities.
He said: “As we commence hearing of the petitions, let us avoid making sensational comments. Let us consider the safety and interest of the country, that is paramount.
“We should avoid unnecessary time-wasting applications and objections, so that we can look at the substance of the case rather than unnecessary technicalities.
“Let us co-operate with each other, so, that every one will be satisfied that justice has been done.
Responding, lead counsel to the President-elect, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, assured the court of maximum co-operation by his team, saying there is need for the matter to be determined without recourse to unnecessary technicalities.
Likewise, head of the team of lawyers representing the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, said he would do everything possible to assist the court to do justice.
