APC, Tinubu ask tribunal to dismiss APM’s petition against presidential election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate in the February 25, 2023 election, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have asked the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja to dismiss in its entirety a petition brought against their victory.

 

APC and Tinubu on Tuesday argued that the petition filed by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) was worthless as it disclosed no reasonable cause of action.

 

In their separate motions on notice, APC and Tinubu told the tribunal that the petition was incompetent on various grounds and didn’t deserve to be given precious time by the tribunal.

 

Legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, who filed the motion on behalf of APC, said that the APM has no legs upon which its petition can stand.

 

Fagbemi insisted in the motion that the election was lawfully conducted, and a clear winner declared in line with the provisions of the law.

 

At Tuesday’s proceedings, the senior lawyer, while notifying the tribunal of the motion on notice, said it would be fully argued at the appropriate time.

 

Fagbemi confirmed that he had answered all the questions on the pre-trial Form TF008 Information sheet as required by law.

 

He said the Form TF008 answer sheet was filled at the tribunal on May 8th and served on other parties.

 

In his own submission, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, who stood for Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shetitma, informed the tribunal he had filed a pre-hearing information sheet on May 3, 2023.

 

He notified the tribunal of his pending motion on notice, praying for the outright dismissal of the petition for various reasons.

 

Olujimi said he would argue the motion at the appropriate time allotted to it by the tribunal.

 

The APM, represented by Suleiman Abubakar SAN, adopted his form TF008 pre-hearing sheet filed on April 28.

 

After taking arguments at the pre-hearing session, Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, fixed May 11 for further pre-hearing session.

 

Justice Tsammani ordered parties in the matter to sort out and agree on all documents they intend to tender during the hearing of the petition.