The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, Abuja, on Monday, adjourned the petitions of the Action Peoples Party and the Labour Party to Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
The parties are challenging the emergence of Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressive Congress as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
In the petition marked CA/ABJ/PEPC/02/2022, the APP is challenging the results of the presidential election on the grounds of irregularities, including alleged mutilation of election results.
Furthermore, the APP, which is the only applicant in the petition, is also challenging Tinubu’s victory on the grounds that “the first respondent was not qualified to stand for the said election having knowingly supplied false information”, including the alleged falsification of age and educational qualifications.
It also stated that “the first respondent was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the election.”
The party also alleged corrupt practices by the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and voter inducement, among others, which, according to the APP, affected the outcome of the elections adding that the election was characterised by “monumental vote buying”
According to the party, “the overvoting took place under the watchful eyes of agents of the third respondent.”
The LP and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, are challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election on the grounds that Tinubu was not qualified to contest the elections “for an offence involving dishonesty, namely narcotics trafficking imposed by the United States District Court.”
They also cited non-compliance with the electoral laws as well as the guidelines of INEC.
Labour Party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, appeared as LP’s representative; May Agbamuche-Mbu appeared on behalf of INEC; Simon Lalong, the Plateau State governor, appeared for the APC.
Livy Uzoukwu appeared for Obi, while Mahmoud was the counsel for the electoral commission.
The duo of Olanipekun and Fagbemi maintained appearances for Tinubu and the vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima, and the APC respectively.
Counsel for Peter Obi, Uzoukwu, said they had filed their answers to the questions on April 22, 2023.
