Election Petition Court to hear Peter Obi’s petition May 10

The Presidential Election Petition Court will on Wednesday 10 May hear petition by Labour Party Candidate Mr Peter Obi challenging the election of Ahmed Tinubu as President in the 2023 General Election.

Justice Haruna Tsamani announced the date after all counsels adopted their responses.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had declared Tinubu the President-Elect on the grounds that his party scored the majority of votes cast in the polls.

Disputing the Result, People’s Democratic party PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party counterpart Mr. Peter Obi filed separate petitions seeking orders to annul the election or declare them the winners of the polls.

Atiku who anchored his seven prayers on five grounds, asked the Presidential Election Tribunal to declare him the president-elect.

Atiku urged the court to cancel the election and order a fresh election due to alleged irregularities in thousands of polling units.

In their petition, Atiku and the PDP argued that as of March 1 when Tinubu was declared the winner of the election, the entire results and accreditation data from polling units had not been transmitted and uploaded by INEC.

The Labour Party Presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi, who came third in the election, alleged that the election was characterised by various irregularities including the non-qualification of Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima to contest the election.

He also alleged that Tinubu failed to win the majority of the lawful votes cast in the election, and just as he could not secure one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in the FCT.

The court at the pre-hearing asked counsels to Pete Obi Mr. Livi Uzorkwu SAN, that of INEC Mahmoud Abubakar SAN, Wole Olanipekum SAN Tinubu and Lateef Fagbemi SAN APC to harmonize their issues.

Justice Tsamani adjourned to Wednesday 10 May for continuation of pre – hearing.