As the Supreme Court this morning commences hearing of three separate appeals challenging the decision of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) which on September 6, 2023 upheld the election victory of President Bola Tinubu, lawyers said, contrary to expectations in many quarters, the matter will not end today.
According to Daily Times, Notice of hearing of the three appeals were issued by Supreme Court to the appellants: Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Mr. Peter Gregory Obi and Labour Party ( LP) and Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) on Wednesday last week summoning them to appear today for hearing.
The respondents, including Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the first respondent in all three appeals, have also been ordered by the supreme court to show up for the hearing.
Additional respondents include President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Vice President Kashim Shettima, and Aminu Bello Masari, whose substitution with Vice President Shettima during the nomination process is now a central claim being contested by APM.
Despite the high hopes Nigerians have for today’s hearing, leading lawyers who are representing their clients warned yesterday that the hearing is more likely to take the shape of a pre-hearing.
The head of APM’s legal team, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), stated that the party had received notice of the hearing.
He stated that APM’s appeal before the Supreme Court is not the subject of any outstanding motions and that it is anticipated that the appeal will be heard.
However, the senior attorney clarified that what is anticipated today should be a typical court practise where, upon the calling of an appeal, counsel in the matter announces their appearance and the Supreme Court panel would then ask them to name the processes they filed.
He said, “The panel may insist that all pending motions be filed immediately to clear the way for the hearing of the main appeal.”
Another lawyer, Pius Efelue, who is familiar with the rules of the Supreme Court, expressed his confidence that the motion filed by Atiku and the PDP asking for permission to present new evidence in support of President Tinubu’s forgery accusation would be heard today.
It will be heard before the main appeal, and given that the Supreme Court has a deadline for ruling on the appeal, it must be resolved any way, he said.
Another lawyer, Akan N. Udoh, commented on today’s hearing as well, saying that the procedures are just the beginning of the hearing.
He claimed that the public’s lofty expectations are unnecessary because the hearing must proceed according to its usual course. Udoh stated that the court will first consider any objections to the panel’s composition, if any, before identifying procedures and hearing urgent requests like the one asking for the submission of new material.
Ikechukwu Moagua, a lawyer in Lagos, also told the Daily Times that Nigerians shouldn’t anticipate that the court cases will be resolved at today’s hearing.
“It can’t end today (tomorrow). First, Atiku submitted new proof. Tinubu was against this.
