Tribunal turns down Tinubu, APC’s request to halt APM’s petition

In a surprising development on Monday, the Presidential Election lawsuit Court (PEPC) rejected a request by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop a lawsuit by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) that questioned his ability to run for president on February 25, 2023.

Through his lead attorney Wole Olanipekun, President Tinubu attempted to use a Supreme Court decision from May 26, 2023, to dismiss the APM’s case.

This plea, however, was turned down. Tinubu’s contention was that the Supreme Court had addressed the lone issue raised in APM’s petition in a lawsuit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He attempted to persuade the court to use the spirit and letters of the Supreme Court ruling to halt the APM’s petition proceedings.

However, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, the presiding justice of the court, disagreed with Tinubu.

He also asserted that the APM should not be prevented from having a fair hearing.

Justice Tsammani advised Tinubu to postpone his objections to the hearing of the petition until the final address stage of the court’s proceedings.

READ ALSO:INEC presents Tinubu’s form, BVAS report for 36 states, FCT to tribunal

The APC, represented by its lawyer Charles Edosomwen, raised similar objections against the petition, but these were also rejected by the PEPC for the same reason.

Earlier, the APM, represented by its lawyer Gideon Ijiagbonya, confirmed that they had received the Supreme Court ruling Tinubu intended to use to end its petition.

Upon reviewing the judgment, Ijiagbonya and his legal team concluded that the petition had merit and asked for its hearing.

The APM lawyer requested a postponement until June 26 to secure a crucial document from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to support its case.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now