The presidential election tribunal has adjourned further pre-hearing session in the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar till Monday.
The adjournment was taken after the five-member tribunal led by Justice Haruna Tsammani had earlier hinted on plans to consolidate the three remaining petitions challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
OsunDaily News reports that at the pre-hearing sitting on Saturday, Justice Tsammani asked lawyers in the case to address the court on whether the surviving petitions should be consolidated as provided in Paragraph 50 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2022.
The petitions being considered for consolidation are those filed by the presidential candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
At the resumption of the pre-hearing session in the petition by Atiku and the PDP on Saturday, Justice Tsammani asked lawyers in the case to address the court on whether the surviving petitions should be consolidated as provided in Paragraph 50 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2022.
Paragraph 50 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2022 states: “Where two or more petitions are presented in relation to the same election or return, all the petitions shall be consolidated, considered and be dealt with as one petition unless the tribunal or court shall otherwise direct in order to do justice or an objection against one or more of the petitions has been upheld by the tribunal or court.”
After the pronouncement by the Judge, the lawyers to parties sought time to consult and report back to court on the issue, following which the court adjourned further pre-hearing session in the petition by Atiku and the PDP till Monday.
