The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has adjourned until Monday pre- hearing of the petition filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
The five-member panel, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, adjourned after listening to the submissions of all the parties in their various applications.
” The petition is further adjourned until May 22 for continuation of pre-hearing, decision will be taken on how to streamline the number of witnesses.
” Time will also be allocated for examination and cross examination ” the panel said.
Tsammani also reserved rulings on all the applications taken.
The APM in a petition marked CA/PEPC/04/2023 is challenging the outcome of the Feb 25 presidential election.
The respondents are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Action Progressives Congress (APC),Sen. Bola Tinubu, Sen.Kashim Shettima and Kabir Masari.
The 1st respondent’s counsel, Abubakar Mahmoud, said they have two applications.
He told the court that the one filed on May 6 is seeking for an order of the court striking out some paragraphs of the petitioner’s reply filed on April 20.
The 2nd application filed on May 14 and is seeking an order of the court striking out the petition for being incompetent.
The 2nd respondent’ s counsel , Adeniyi Akintola, SAN ,similarly, told the court that they filed an application on May 8.
He added that the application is seeking for an order of the court striking some paragraphs of the petitioner’s petition for being incompetent and lack of jurisdiction.
The 3rd and 4th respondents , counsel, Wole Olanipakun, SAN told the court that they filed two applications on May 13 and May 14.
He said the applications are seeking an order of the court to strike out the petition or dismiss it for being incompetent.
The 5th respondent ‘ counsel, Roland Otaru, SAN said they were served today and the petitioner said the respondent extended the required pages stipulated by the rule.
He submited that the application should be dismissed.
The petitioner’ counsel, S.A Abubakar told the court that they filed counter affidavits to the application’s of all the respondents praying the court to refuse and dismiss their various applications.
Earlier, the court reserved ruling in the application of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party seeking for live coverage of the proceedings.
Atiku and the PDP in the petition dated March 21, 2023 are challenging the outcome of the Presidential election on Feb 25.
Respondents in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st Tinubu , 2nd and the APC as 3rd .(NAN )
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