Admin I Saturday, Oct.21, 2023
ABUJA, Nigeria – There is anxiety in the land as the Supreme Court sets to reconstitute panel of Justices for the PEPT appeal.
This is taking place even as the Supreme Court has fixed Monday to hear the appeal of candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and that of Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi against the declaration of Bola Tinubu as winner of the February 25, 2023 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
This is coming as Justice Dattijo is retiring on Monday. Already there are fillers that Justice Saulawa has stepped aside from the panel.
Similarly, Justice Ogunwunmiju has excused herself from the panel for reasons best known to her.
Besides, Justice Helen Ogunwumiju may also recuse herself since her son Otunba Ogunwumiju is APC member Ondo House Assembly (2023-27).
Her other son Taiwo Ogunwumiju SAN is an APC lawyer at the Tribunals. That should knock her out!
Again another panel member, Supreme Court Justice Musa Dattijo Mohammed will retire Oct 27th, 2023 (a week’s time) when he will be 70.
Already Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ariwo-Ola, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and Inyang-Okoro have been recused for conflict of interest.
Bases on this, it will be difficult for the Supreme Court made up of 11 Justices to make up a 7-member Panel.
Only six members will be left if things go according to permutations.
