There is anxiety as the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) breaks silence on the rumored judgment date for the petition filed by Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Abubakar Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reports emerged on Monday morning that the residential Election Petition Tribunal “deliver judgement on Election Petition filed on Wednesday, September 6th in Abuja.”
HeraldNG recalls that the petitioners alleged that there were widespread irregularities and malpractices in the election, which they said affected the outcome of the vote. After months of court sittings, reports emerged last week that the tribunal is expected to issue its judgment on September 16.
However, a document dated Monday, 4th of September emerged online revealing that the court has fixed Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to deliver the ruling.
HeraldNG however reports that the Tribunal must deliver judgment on the petition on or before September 17, as the constitution gives a provision of a maximum of 180 days for the panel to conclude its job.
The Tribunal in May had merged the petitions submitted by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
It also reserved judgment on the petitions.
While Tinubu’s lawyer prayed for a successful outcome, Atiku’s legal team admonished the tribunal to “shun executive intimidation and dispense judgment on the matter.’’
A member of the President’s legal team, Yusuf Ali, SAN, said he was hopeful of victory.
He said, “We pray for success at the end of the day. Cases are conducted in the court and not in the media, either social or mass media. The court listens to facts and applies the law.”
The Director of Publicity for the APC, Bala Ibrahim, denied that the ruling party was under any form of pressure and expressed confidence that justice would be served.
He said, “Which pressure? The ruling party has already delivered, unlike the Labour Party which is still groaning in labour. The pressure is on them. Obviously, anyone that is in labour is likely to be under pressure.’’
But a member of Atiku’s legal team, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, urged the tribunal to dispense justice on the matter.
He said Nigerians and the international community were watching them.
Ozekhome said, “Not for judgment date yet. I expect justice to be done. I expect the tribunal to shun blaring sirens of power or executive intimidation to do justice. I expect the tribunal to know that Nigerians, the international community, and indeed the whole world are watching.”
Weighing in, the PDP expressed confidence in the ability of the tribunal justices to dispense justice.
On the party’s expectations from the tribunal, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, simply said “Success,” without making further comments.
But a loyalist of Atiku and Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor, argued that given the weight of evidence before the tribunal, the party and the former vice president had every reason to hope that justice would prevail.
Similarly, the National Legal Adviser of the Labour Party, Kehinde Edun, submitted that the party was hopeful about the outcome of the judgment.
HeraldNG reports that contrary to reports the court had last week denied that it had fixed September 16 for the judgment.