The Presiding Justices of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Court have made it clear that the court will look at the substantive matter on merit and not mere technicalities.
Stating this at the Court of Appeal on Monday, they assured that the cases brought before the tribunal will be decided bearing in mind the time factor.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party, People’s Democratic Party, All Progressive Congress, and the Independent National Electoral Commission have agreed to cooperate with the court on the matter.
The Justices proceeded to a recess to resume at 10:30.
On Resumption
Meanwhile, the hearing on the petition filed by Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate has been adjorned till Wednesday, May 10 by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).
The Tribunal began its hearing on the petitions filed by aggrieved presidential candidates on Monday, May 8.
Earlier, the chairman of PEPT, Justice Haruna Tsammani, had dismissed the petition of the Action Alliance (AA) filed against the electoral victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.
The court equally fixed the same date for another petition by the Action Peoples Party, APP, while it adjourned the case of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, till Tuesday.
While adjourning the cases, the court urged the parties to identify all the witness statements and documents they would rely on or object to during the actual hearing of the petitions.
Tdpnewsng.com reports that among those in court to witness the proceedings included the presidential candidate of the LP, Mr Peter Obi.
However, the PETP, on Monday, barred Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State from standing before it as the representative of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
The Plateau State Governor had immediately the first petition that was lodged against the outcome of the 2023 presidential election was called up, stood up and announced himself as Tinubu’s representative.
“My Lord’s, my name is Simon Lalong and I am here to represent Tinubu,” the governor stated.
However, Justice Haruna Tsammani led a five-member panel that declined to recognize him as Tinubu’s representative.
“You cannot represent an individual. Tinubu is not a corporation that would need a representative,” the presiding justice held.
“My Lords, in that case, I will represent the All Progressives Congress, APC,” Governor Lalong responded.
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