Peter Obi in court to witness election petitions tribunal hearing

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 election Peter Obi on Monday arrived at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, venue of the presidential election petition tribunal, to witness the beginning of hearings.

Five political parties and their candidates are respectively challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election on grounds of non-compliance with the electoral laws as well as the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The electoral umpire declared that Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress polled 8,794,726 votes to win the election.

But Obi is seeking cancellation of the election by the tribunal on the grounds that Tinubu was not fit to compete due to his alleged link with illicit drugs among other reasons.

Justices who will be presiding over the various petitions that will arise are the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Haruna Tsammani; Justice Stephen Adah of the Court of Appeal, Asaba division; Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Court of Appeal also of Asaba division; Justice Boloukuoromo Ugoh of Kano division and Justice Abba Mohammed of Ibadan Court of Appeal.

Shortly before the sitting of the five-man panel of justices, head of the tribunal Justice Tsammani assured that justice would be served.

Justice Tsammani said, “We are determined to look at the matter dispassionately and give justice to whoever deserves justice.”

He noted that the tribunal would consider the substance of each case over technicalities so that “whoever leaves here will be satisfied that justice has been done.”

Tsammani warned the lawyers against unnecessary applications that could delay proceedings.

In March, Obi was also in court to witness ruling on the application INEC filed, seeking to be allowed to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

The court granted INEC permission to do so.