The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has announced the consolidation of various petitions filed against Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Haruna Tsammani, disclosed its decision to merge all the petitions into one during the pre-hearing report. Consequently, the hearing of the consolidated petition is scheduled to commence on May 30, 2023, with written addresses to be adopted on August 5, 2023, followed by the preparation for judgment.
The consolidation of the petitions, which was supported by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, reflects the recognition of the significance and urgency of the cases at hand. Atiku’s legal team, led by Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, emphasized the importance of expediting the hearing process due to the shared objective of challenging Tinubu’s victory. They cited provisions in the Electoral Act 2022 that empower the court to merge applications for a prompt resolution in the interest of justice. Atiku emphasized that despite being filed by separate parties, the petitions collectively seek to address the alleged irregularities in the 2023 presidential election and challenge Tinubu’s declaration as the winner.
Atiku further asserted that it is both natural and justifiable for the court to employ all available legal means to ensure justice is served to the concerned parties. He called for the dismissal of objections raised by Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that their intent was to unduly delay the hearing process, which goes against the principles of natural justice.
On the other hand, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by Chief Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, pledged to abide by the decision of the court, indicating their willingness to cooperate with the tribunal’s proceedings.
It is worth noting that Tinubu and the APC had previously opposed the merging of the petitions. Tinubu’s legal team, led by Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, argued that consolidating the petitions would undermine their ability to adequately address the various points raised by the petitioners. Their objection highlights the divergent positions among the involved parties and underscores the contentious nature of the legal battle ahead.