News Investigators/ The Presidential Election Petition Court has consolidated all the petitions filed by the candidates of Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), against the President-elect. Bola Tinubu, resolving to hear it as one.
Just as the court ordered the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and the party to present their joint petition against Mr Tinubu within three weeks.
Mr Tinubu is expected to be sworn in next Tuesday May 29 as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The court, in its pre-hearing report Tuesday said the three different petitions seeking to nullify the outcome of the 2023 presidential election would be heard as one in order to ensure expeditious hearing.
Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, who is the chairman of the five-man panel of the court announced that the hearing of the petition would commence on May 30, adding that after the adoption of written addresses on 5 August, 2023, the court shall thereafter prepare for judgement.
The court disclosed this when the petition of the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi was called.
Similarly, the court ordered Mr Obi and Labour Party to present their joint petition against Mr Tinubu within three weeks.
Justice Tsammani also ordered the President-elect, Tinubu, to defend his victory along with the Independent National Electoral Commission within five days.
The court further ordered that Obi open his petition for hearing on 30 May and end same on 23 June.
Recall that Mr Obi, through his counsel, Awa Kalu, a professor and Senior Advocate had earlier requested a period of seven weeks to establish their allegations against Tinubu’s victory.
The Tribunal said it arrived at the decision because of the limited time within which the petition must be disposed of.
However, the Tribunal rejected the objection of Mr Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress to the consolidation plan of the court.
