The presidential election petition court has adjourned pre-hearing in the petitions filed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Peoples Movement (APM) until Thursday.
The five-member panel, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, adjourned after listening to the adoption of answers by all the counsel in the petitions.
Mr Abubakar and the PDP, in the petition dated March 21, 2023, are challenging the outcome of the presidential election of February 25.
Respondents in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023 are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) first, Bola Tinubu second, and the APC third.
At the resumed pre-hearing, Chris Uche, SAN counsel for the petitioners, Mr Abubakar and PDP adopted their answers in the pre-hearing filed on April 27.
He added that the filed motion on notice dated May 7 served on all the respondents for permission to televise the sitting nationwide.
Counsel to INEC, Mr Abubakar Mahmoud SAN, adopted their answers in the pre-hearing information sheet filed on May 2.
Responding to the live coverage, he said they would await a formal response.
Similarly, counsel to Mr Tinubu, Akin Olujimi, SAN, adopted their answers in the pre-hearing information sheet filed on May 2.
He added that they have some applications to strike out this petition and others.
Responding to the live coverage prayed by the petitioners, he said they would reply at the appropriate time.
Lastly, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, counsel to APC, also adopted and filed their answers on May 2.
In paragraph 14 of the answers, the third respondent on May 8 filed two applications, one seeking the competence of the petition and the dismissal of the petition.
He added that the second one is seeking the striking out of the answers by the petitioners.
Responding to the motion for live coverage by the petitioners, he said they would reply at the appropriate time.
The panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned until Thursday to continue the pre-hearing session at 2:00 p.m.
He advised parties to harmonise their answers for consideration at the next adjourned date.
He added that the motion for live coverage by the petitioners filed on May 7 will be considered along with others.
Similarly, The Allied Peoples Movement (APM)’s petition marked CA/PEPC/04/, challenging the election outcome, was also heard.
The respondents are Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Action Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, and Kabir Madari.
Counsel to the petitioners, S.A. Abubakar, told the panel that on behalf of the petitions filed on April 21 and adopted it as answers to rely on during the proceedings.
Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN counsel to INEC, adopted their answers filed on May 5 as their response to the petition.
Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, counsel for APC, also adopted their answers filed on May 2.
He, however, informed the panel that they filed two motions on May 8, which would be taken at the appropriate time.
Akin Olujimi for Messrs Tinubu and Shettima also adopted their answers filed on May 3.
Lastly, Toni Aliyu (SAN) also adopted their answers filed on May 2 with two applications to be heard at the appropriate time.
According to the APM, Messrs Tinubu and Shettima were not qualified to contest the election on the grounds of the alleged double nomination of the vice president-elect.
The panel directed parties to harmonise their answers and consider what to be taken and what not.
He further adjourned the pre-hearing until Thursday.
(NAN)
