APM Opens, Closes Case In Petition Against Tinubu’s Presidential Victory

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) on Wednesday opened and closed its case in its lawsuit disputing the proclamation of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the victor of the February 25 presidential election.

The petition, CA/PEPC/04/2023, requests that Tinubu’s election be declared null and void due to the APC’s vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, being nominated twice.

After a vain attempt by President Tinubu and the APC to block the case, the petitioner called its lone witness, Aisha Abubakar, who testified in support of the petition at the resumed hearing on Wednesday.

Tribunal: Tinubu, APC Lose As Court Upholds APM’s Petition On 2023 Presidential Election

The witness identified and tendered the five witness statements on oath she deposed to at the court registry, led in evidence by the APM’s lead attorney, Gideon Idiagbonya.

The witness, who is the APM’s Assistant Welfare Officer, also presented her membership card as proof in the case.

The declaration of results sheet (Form EC8E), a notice of withdrawal of Kabiru Masari as APC vice presidential candidate, and Kashim Shettima’s notice of withdrawal as APC Borno Central senatorial candidate (Form EC11C) were also tendered by the petitioner and admitted as exhibits by the court.

The letter of voluntary withdrawal written to APC by Shettima as senatorial candidate of APC for Borno Central senatorial district, an affidavit in support of personal particulars for nominations of Shettima as vice presidential candidate of APC (Form EC9), an affidavit in support of personal particulars for nominations of Ibrahim Kabiru Masari as Vice Presidential candidate of APC (Form EC9), and an affidavit in support

UPDATE: Presidential Tribunal To Take PDP, APM’s Petition On Tuesday

Following a subpoena, INEC produced two documents, Certified True Copies of an online temporary acknowledgement of Kashim Shettima’s profile on Thursday, July 14, 2022, and an online temporary acknowledgement of Lawal Kaka Shehu’s profile on Friday, July 15, 2022, which were tendered and admitted as exhibits by the court.

At the conclusion of the cross-examination of the witness by INEC, APC, Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, and Kabiru Masari, the petitioner’s counsel announced the case was closed.

The respondents, through their counsel, did not call evidence in the petition but relied on the Supreme Court’s May 26, 2023, judgment and a letter notifying INEC of Shettima’s withdrawal as an APC senatorial candidate for Borno Central senatorial district tendered by INEC counsel, Dr Kemi Pinhero (SAN).

The Supreme Court decision, which was tendered in evidence by APC counsel Lateef Fagbemi, dismissed a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suit challenging Tinubu’s eligibility to run in the February 25 presidential election on the basis of his running mate’s double nomination as lacking merit.

Again, Presidential Tribunal Adjourns APM’s Petition To June 9

The petitioner raised objections to the admissibility of the said judgment, but the court admitted it as evidence, and after the conclusion of the witness’s cross-examination, the court gave the petitioner 10 days to file and serve its final written address in the petition, and the respondents seven days.

The court then set July 14, 2023, as the date for the adoption of the parties’ final written addresses in the petition.

Meanwhile, the court was unable to hear the case brought by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging Tinubu’s election since the 10 a.m. hearing time was occupied by the APM petition, which was the first matter called on Wednesday.

As a result, the Presidential Election case Court (PEPC)’s five-member panel of justices, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, deferred further hearings on Atiku Abubakar and the PDP’s case until July 22.

Follow us on Facebook