The presidential election petition court has adjourned
hearing in a suit filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against the
victory of President Bola Tinubu.
The APM whose presidential candidate, Chichi Ojei, scored
25,961 votes during the February 25 poll, argued that Tinubu was improperly
sponsored by the APC since he nominated Kashim Shettima as his vice
presidential candidate for the election, despite his double nomination.
At the last adjourned date, Wole Olanipekun, counsel
representing Tinubu and Shettima, told the tribunal that the supreme court
judgment which dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
affects the petition filed by the APM.
The PDP’s case against the APC presidential candidates was
on the grounds of double nomination.
The opposition party had claimed that Shettima was still the
APC candidate for Borno central senatorial district on July 14 when he accepted
the nomination for vice-presidential candidate.
However, in a judgment delivered on Friday, the supreme
court dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
A five-member panel of the apex court held that PDP not
being a member of the APC, lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.
The apex court also ruled that Shettima was not guilty of
double nomination.
Upon raising the issue, the APM counsel said he would obtain
a certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment and make relevant consultations on
the way forward.
The court granted parties’ request for an adjournment.
But at the resumption of proceedings on Friday, Yakubu
Maikasuwa, APM’s lawyer, informed the court that the CTC of the supreme court
judgement was not ready.
“We have not been
able to obtain a copy of the judgement. So, I am not in a position to take a
stand on the status of the petitioner,” he said.
“Therefore, I seek an adjournment to enable us get a copy of
the supreme court judgement regarding the issue of double registration.
“We have all agreed to come back next Friday, subject to the
court’s convenience.”
Confirming the petitioner’s position, Lateef Fagbemi, APC’s
lawyer, said the apex court verdict was not ready.
Tinubu’s lawyer, Akin Olujinmi, also said lawyers to parties
in the petition agreed to have the suit further adjourned until next Friday.
INEC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, expressed hope that APM takes
a decision on its petition as soon as possible.
After listening to the lawyers’ submissions on the issue,
the court adjourned the case until June 9 for further hearing.
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