A group of protesters on Monday stormed the Appeal Court in Abuja, asking the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal to stop the inauguration of the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The protesters who would not give specific names for their groups but say they are a coalition of civil societies, urged the court to stop the inauguration, on the premise that there are still several pending issues involving the APC candidate.

After a brief moment of congregating outside the Court of Appeal building, security operatives were able to disperse the protesters, even as processes continued inside the tribunal.

Beefed up security

Security on Monday was beefed up as the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal Abuja began the pre-hearing of the petitions challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress polled 8,794,726 votes to win the election. While Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party came second with 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi was third with 6,101,533 votes.

Not satisfied with the outcome, Atiku and Obi approached the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to annul Tinubu’s victory.

Lawyers gather for the pre-hearing at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on May 8, 2023. Photo: Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television.

Channels Television observed that security around the court premises is almost impervious as men of the Nigerian Police Force cordoned off the road leading to the court.

From the Cause list, the unveiling of the tribunal, the first case to be adjudicated, is the Action Alliance (AA) and its Presidential Candidate in the election, Solomon David Okanigbuan notifying the tribunal of their intentions to withdraw their petition against the declaration of Tinubu as Nigeria’s President-elect after the unveiling of the tribunal.

Besides Tinubu, others listed as respondents in AA’s petition are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress APC and Hamza Al Mustapha.

Other petitions slated for the pre-hearing session are those of the Action People’s Party (APP) which has Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as three respondents.

It would be followed by that of Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) marked CA/PEPC/03/2023 with INEC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shetima and APC as four respondents.

The Allied People’s Movement (APM) would proceed next against Tinubu.

Defendants in APM’s petition are INEC, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kashim Shetima and one Kabir Masari.

Atiku Abubakar and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) marked CA/ PEPC/05/2023, would be treated last and has INEC, Tinubu Bola Ahmed and the APC as three respondents.

The court pre-hearing resumed at about 9:15 am with an opening remark by the Presiding Justice Haruna Tsammani, who leads a five-man panel of Justices.

Other panel members include Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Justice Boloukuoromo Moses Ugo and Justice Abbah Mohammed.

Justice Tsammani maintained the panel will do justice to the case and advised the lawyers against making sensational comments.

He also asked for their cooperation since the case is time bound and they should be wary of bringing unnecessary applications that will waste the time of the court.

In their separate responses, counsels to the President-Elect, Wole Olanikpekun, and of Atiku Abubakar, Chris Uche as well as Peter Obi’s lawyer, Livy Uzoukwu, assured the court of their full cooperation and support.

He concluded that everyone will be satisfied with the verdict at the end of the case. (Channels TV)

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