The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, seeking to dismiss and set aside the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) ruling.
The court similarly reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, also challenging the election of President Bola Tinubu.
On September 6, the PEPC dismissed Messrs Atiku and Obi’s petitions for lacking merit and affirmed Mr Tinubu’s election.
After hearing both appeals on Monday in Abuja, the seven-man panel of justices led by Justice Inyang Okoro said the date for judgment would be communicated to the parties.
Other justices on the panel are Uwani Abaji, Lawal Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Tijani Abubakar, and Emma Agim.
In Mr Abubakar’s notice of appeal predicated on 35 grounds, he told the apex court that the PEPC erred on the side of the law in the judgment of the panel chairman, Justice Haruna Tsammani.
Mr Abubakar, through his lead counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, told the court that the judgment of the PEPC was a miscarriage of justice.
He argued that the lower court also erred in law when it failed to nullify the presidential election held on February 25 on the grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
Specifically, Mr Abubakar asked the Supreme Court to set aside the whole findings and conclusions of the PEPC on the grounds that they did not represent the true picture of the grounds of his petition.
On the other hand, Mr Obi, through his lead counsel, Levi Uzoukwu, SAN, also prayed the apex court to set aside the judgment of the PEPC that dismissed his petition.
Mr Uzoukwu prayed the court to allow his client’s appeal and grant all the prayers sought.
In their responses, counsel to the respondents, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the court to dismiss the appeals for want of merit and being frivolous.
(NAN)