The Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja has on Tuesday adjourned hearing in the petition of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against the candidacy of President vice president, Kashim Shettima.
The development came after counsel to President Bola Tinubu referred the panel to a similar judgment passed by the Supreme Court.
OsunDaily News reports that the APM had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu, Shettima and APC’s initial Vice-Presidential placeholder, Kabiru Masari to court under the premise that Shettima was illegally nominated.
However, during the hearing on Tuesday, Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun SAN, told the justices that a recent judgement of the Supreme Court touched on similar matters raised by the APM.
He argued that it would be wise for the APM’s petition challenging the nomination of Shettima to be looked at in light of the higher court’s judgement.
“We are aware that the Supreme Court gave a decision on this same judgement in the yet to be reported judgement SC/CV/501/20223 and the parties involved were People’s Democratic party versus INEC and three others where the apex court resolved all the issues.
“We promise within the next two days, Certified True Copies of the judgement of the Supreme Court will be made available.
“And we will also discuss with the petitions whether in light of the decision of the Supreme Court, whether there will still be the need to continue with this petition,” Olanipekun said.
Responding, APM’s counsel, S.A. Abubakar Esq asked the court to adjourn so he could study the said Supreme Court judgment and see if it affects his case.
“Based on the submission of the learned silk, we shall be praying to adjourn the hearing of this petition to enable us apply to the Supreme Court for the copy of the judgement referred to, to enable us examine same and know the effect it has on this petition.
“However, we shall be praying that the petition day be adjourned till Friday,” Abubakar said.
On his part, INEC’s lawyer, A.B. Mahmoud SAN, agreed with Olanipekun’s submission while APC’s lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, refused to raise objection against adjournment.
The five-man panel of the court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani later adjourned the hearing to the 2nd of June.
