The hearing of a petition submitted by Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate at the President Election Petitions Tribunal, has been adjourned until next Wednesday, May 17.
Kenneth Okonkwo, the spokesperson for the party’s presidential campaign council, announced this development on Wednesday via his Twitter page. The petition is against Bola Tinubu, the ‘president-elect’ from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court adjourned the hearing in response to the request for an adjournment made by the parties involved in the petition. Following a brief hearing, the court set the next hearing date for Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Okonkwo expressed optimism about a positive outcome and requested the support and prayers of the public.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal dismissed the petition of the Action People’s Party challenging Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election and his subsequent declaration as the ‘president-elect’.
The dismissal came after the party applied to withdraw its petition challenging the election outcome. Obed Agu, the party’s counsel, made this disclosure during the proceedings. Responding to the application, Justice Tsammani, the presiding judge of the Presidential Election Petition Court, dismissed the suit in a brief ruling.
Similarly, on Monday, the tribunal struck out the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) challenging Tinubu’s victory. The AA had withdrawn its petition during the hearing at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, resulting in its dismissal. However, no specific reason was provided for the withdrawal.
These recent developments mark significant moments in the post-election legal process, highlighting the efforts by various political parties to challenge the outcome of the presidential election. While Peter Obi’s petition against Bola Tinubu’s election is now scheduled for further hearing, the dismissal of the petitions by the Action People’s Party and Action Alliance serves as a setback for those seeking to contest the election results.
As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome of these petitions will undoubtedly impact the political landscape and the legitimacy of the election results.
The adjournment of Obi’s petition signals a delay in reaching a resolution, prolonging the uncertainty surrounding the presidency. With the court’s decision to hear the remaining arguments on May 17, all eyes will be on the upcoming proceedings, as they hold the potential to shape the course of Nigerian politics in the coming weeks.