The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja has postponed further proceedings on the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the outcome of the presidential election held on February 25.
News About Nigeria reports that the five-member panel, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, adjourned to continue the pre-hearing session and address pending applications from the respondents.
The respondents in the case include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The respondents are requesting the court to either dismiss the case entirely or strike out certain paragraphs of the petition for being incompetent.
Justice Tsammani, in adjourning the matter, stated that the court would decide on Friday the number of witnesses each party would be allowed, the allocated time for their presentation, and the duration for cross-examination.
He encouraged the parties involved to collaborate and agree on further procedural details.
The joint petition filed by Atiku and the PDP, labeled CA/PEPC/05/2023, seeks various outcomes, including the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return issued to the President-elect by INEC.
The petitioners argue that Tinubu’s victory in the presidential election was invalid due to non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
They also claimed that Tinubu’s election was tainted by corrupt practices and emphasize that he did not win the majority of lawful votes cast.
Atiku further implored the court to declare him as the winner of the presidential election since he received the second-highest number of lawful votes.
