* As Action Alliance withdraws petition against Tinubu
Chairman of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), Justice Haruna Tsammani, has promised that the court will do justice to the petition before it.
Justice Tsammani, who is the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, made the promise on Monday at the beginning of proceedings in the hearing of the presidential election petitions before the court.
Five political parties and their respective candidates are 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).
Justice Tsammani said: “We are determined to look at the matter dispassionately and give justice to whoever deserves justice.”
He also promised that the court would consider the substance of each case over technicalities so that ”whoever leaves here will be satisfied that justice has been done”, while warning parties against unnecessary applications that could delay proceedings.
The presiding judge also disclosed that the petitions to be considered today during the pre-hearing would be the first three petitions while the 4th and 5th petitions “can take off tomorrow”.
Justice Tsammani further said the cases will be alternated until the pre-hearing comes to an end.
“Then we will alternate until we finish the pre-hearing,” he said.
Other judges on the panel, aside Justice Tsammani, are 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.
Chris Uche is leading the legal team of Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Wole Olanipekun heads the legal team of candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President-elect, Bola Tinubu, while Levi Uzoukwu is the head of team of Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
Meanwhile, the Action Alliance (AA) party has withdrawn its petition filed against the victory of Bola Tinubu at the presidential election.
This withdrawal was disclosed at the commencement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja, on Monday. No reason was given by the party.
The AA had Mr. Hamza Al-Mustapha as its presidential candidate recognized by INEC in the February 25 election.