In a momentous event, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has initiated the process of delivering its judgment on the petition brought forward by Peter Obi and the Labour Party, contesting the victory of President Bola Tinubu.
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, alongside his party, the LP, has raised concerns regarding the outcome of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.
Justice Abba Mohammed, a member of the five-member tribunal panel, is presently presenting the lead judgment. The proceedings began with an examination of preliminary motions aimed at challenging certain aspects of the petition’s competence.
Obi and the LP have submitted their complaints in the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023, which seeks to question the election that ushered Tinubu into office on May 29.
The respondents in this petition include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Mohammed commenced proceedings by addressing preliminary motions that raised concerns about the completeness of the petition. The petitioners had alleged irregularities and stated their intent to rely on spreadsheets, inspection reports, and forensic analysis submitted with the petition during the trial.
However, Justice Mohammed noted that the promised documents were not attached to the petition nor served on the respondents.
The court also addressed the respondents’ objection regarding Peter Obi’s membership in the Labour Party. Justice Mohammed emphasized that only a political party can officially determine its members, and no external entity has the authority to investigate this matter.
Furthermore, the tribunal disallowed the respondents’ objection questioning the Labour Party’s petition for not including Atiku Abubakar, who came second in the election. Justice Mohammed clarified that a petitioner is obligated to include only the winning candidate, the winning party, and the electoral commission as parties in their petition.
The tribunal’s judgment in this high-stakes case will have significant implications for the outcome of the presidential election.