- Fixes Wednesday As New Date For Hearing
- Bars Lalong From Standing In For Tinubu
By Charles Adingupu
The legal fireworks which began this Monday morning 8th May, 2023 at the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja will have to continue on Wednesday as the court adjourned further pre-hearing session on the petition the Labour Party and its candidate, Peter Obi filed to nullify Tinubu’s election victory, till 10th of May.
Also, the court fixed the same date for another petition by the Action Peoples Party, APP, while it adjourned the case of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, till Tuesday.
While adjourning the cases, the court urged the parties to identify all the witness statements and documents they would rely on or object to during the actual hearing of the petitions
Meanwhile, the court, on Monday, barred Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State from standing in as the representative of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The Plateau state governor had, immediately the first petition that was lodged against the outcome of the 2023 presidential election was called up, stood up and announced himself as Tinubu’s representative.
“My Lords, my name is Simon Lalong and I am here to represent Tinubu,” the governor stated.
However, Justice Haruna Tsammani led a five-member panel that declined to recognise him as Tinubu’s representative.
“You cannot represent an individual. Tinubu is not a corporation that would need a representative,” the presiding justice held.
“My Lords, in that case, I will represent the All Progressives Congress, APC,” Governor Lalong responded.
Among those in court to witness the proceedings was the presidential candidate of the LP, Mr. Peter Obi
