APM's Petition Against President Tinubu Proceeds as Court Rejects Bid for Dismissal

The Presidential Election Petition Court has dismissed an attempt to discard the petition filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), challenging the qualification of President Bola Tinubu from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Supreme Court’s recent verdict in a similar matter filed before the PEPC played a crucial role in this decision.

Wole Olanipekun, SAN, the counsel for Tinubu, informed the court on May 30 about the Supreme Court’s judgment, which seems to have addressed the same issue raised by the APM.

He referred to the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday, May 26, which dismissed the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking to nullify the ticket that produced the president and his vice, Kassim Shettima, on the grounds of double nomination.

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Olanipekun questioned whether the Apex Court’s decision would not affect the APM’s case, which challenges the election outcome based on using a placeholder, Kabir Masari, for the elected vice-president, Kassim Shettima.

During the resumed hearing on Monday, the APM’s counsel, G.A. Ijiagbonya, expressed the party’s intention to proceed with the case despite Olanipekun’s reminder of the Supreme Court’s judgment.

Ijiagbonya stated that he and his legal team have thoroughly examined the Supreme Court’s judgment and still insisted on pursuing the current petition.

However, he requested a one-week adjournment to obtain a crucial document from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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In response, Justice Haruna Tsammani, the chairman of the five-person panel, emphasized that the party should not be denied a fair hearing. Justice Tsammani advised Tinubu to raise his objections against the petition during the final address stage of the court’s proceedings.

The APC, represented by Charles Edosomwen, SAN, had previously raised similar objections against the petition, but the PEPC rejected them for the same reason.

In a brief ruling, Justice Tsammani scheduled the petition hearing for Wednesday, June 21.

Through its legal team, the APM announced that it would present its case and conclude it on the same day.

The party also intends to call one private witness to testify to support the petition against Tinubu.