Supreme Court names 7-man panel of Justices to hear Atiku, Obi’s appeal against Tinubu’s victory

.As hearing begins Monday, October 23

Chigozie Ikpo, Abuja

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has constituted a seven-member panel of justices to hear the appeals filed by the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
Atiku and Obi are challenging the outcome of the February 25, 2023 presidential election won by Bola Tinubu.
The court confirmed this on Thursday in hearing notices it sent out to the counsels for the respective parties.
The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC had on September 6, 2023, affirmed the election of Tinubu after dismissing the petitions filed by Atiku, Obi, and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Dissatisfied with the Judgement, Atiku and Obi in separate petitions, asked the Apex Court to set aside the Judgement of the PEPC which dismissed their suit, and nullify the victory of Tinubu.
Atiku who produced fresh evidence from the Chicago State University (CSU) is asking the Apex court to accept them in the case, as he seeks the disqualification of Tinubu.
The Supreme Court justices to determine the final outcome of the 2023 presidential election are Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji and Justice Lawal Garba.
Others are Justice Helen M. Ogunwumiju, Justice I. N. Saulawa, Justice Tijjani Abubakar and Justice Emmanuel Agim.
Furthermore, The Supreme Court on Thursday announced Monday, October 23rd to begin hearing of the case filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission, Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Recall that Atiku had filed additional materials, including the recent deposition of the registrar of the Chicago State University, to support his arguments that President Tinubu submitted false academic claims in his INEC nomination form.
Tinubu’s lawyers, on the other hand, have asked the court to ignore the submissions of Atiku on the grounds that the statutory period for the submission of evidence has since closed.
The Supreme Court has until November 6, 2023, to give a final judgment on the appeal.
Aside Atiku, notices for the hearing were served on the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Chichi Ojei.
The notices signed by Zainab M. Garba in the office of the registrar, said by the Order 2 Rule 1(2) of the Supreme Court’s Rules 1985 as amended, the notice is deemed as sufficiently served on the parties.
Atiku had in his appeal maintained that the Presidential Election Petitions Court erred when they dismissed his petition on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove allegations of irregularities in the presidential election, 25 per cent requirement in the FCT, $60,000 forfeiture and failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit the results from the polling units to the IREV using BVAS as provided in its laws and guidelines.
In the application by his counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), Atiku also requested leave to file academic records of Tinubu, which he alleged were forged.
Similarly, Obi is contending that the tribunal’s refusal of his 18,088 polling units’ blurred results, was a miscarriage of justice.
Ojei of the APM, in her petition, is contending that Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima were disqualified on the grounds of invalid nomination for the offices.
But in his replies, Tinubu, through his counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) requested the court to hold that Atiku’s petition was an abuse of court process and lacked merit.
Tinubu described Obi’s petition as a jamboree and lacking in merit.