The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, is considering the consolidation of the three remaining petitions that challenge the outcome of the recent presidential election.
The petitions were filed by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), along with the PDP itself, Peter Obi and the LP (Liberal Party), and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
During the resumption of the pre-hearing session for Atiku and the PDP’s petition on Saturday, Justice Tsammani raised the question of whether the surviving petitions should be consolidated in accordance with Paragraph 50 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2022.
The Paragraph states that if two or more petitions are presented regarding the same election or return, they should be treated as a single petition.
The Paragraph reads: “Where two or more petitions are presented in relation to the same election or return, all the petitions shall be consolidated, considered and be dealt with as one petition unless the tribunal or court shall otherwise direct in order to do justice or an objection against one or more of the petitions has been upheld by the tribunal or court.”
In response, the lawyers representing the parties requested time to consult and provide their stance.
Consequently, the court adjourned the pre-hearing session for Atiku and the PDP’s petition until Monday.
