Vows to look at substance, not technicalities
Admin l Tuesday, May 9, 2023
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Presidential Election Tribunal sitting at the Appeal Court, Abuja has said that it will not tolerate any delay tactics in handling matters before it.
Head of the tribunal Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, who made the observation in his opening remarks during the sitting said that the tribunal will treat all cases on the merit and will not entertain any technicality.
He warned petitioners that any intentional delay tactics by paties or their counsel will not be tolerated, adding that anybody that tries to delay the process will be sanctioned.
The tribunal chairman made the remarks amid protest by Nigerians, calling on it to stop the inauguration of President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In several placards loaded with messages such as “a candidate that did not meet Nigeria’s constitutional requirements must not be sworn in as Nigeria’s President; Do not swear in Tinubu, he did not get 25% in the FCT”, among others drawing attention to breaches that must not be allowed to stand.
Meanwhile, attempt by Plateau State Governor, Solomon Lalong to represent Tinubu in the petitioned filed by candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against the Independent National Election Commission, INEC and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the AC was however not entertained.
Justice Tsammani told him, “You cannot represent an individual and as a lawyer you should know that”, he told Lalong who no decided to represent, the All-Progressive Congress, APC.
There was however a mild drama in court when two lawyers stood up all claiming to represent Atiku, forcing the tribunal to withdraw the matter between Atiku and INEC.
The second case between Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, INEC and APC has been adjourned to 2PM on Wednesday, after Obi, through his lead counsel, Livy Ozuokwu told the court that he filed his response on 22nd of April 2023 and adopted responses.
The APC and Tinubu through their lawyer, Fagbonyin, SAN told the court that they filed on 3rd May, 2023 and that he is representing Shettima who filed 2nd of May, adding that he will argue his petition under paragraph 14 of his response.
