Presidential Tribunal Concludes Hearing In APM’s Petition Against Tinubu

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), on Wednesday, concluded the hearing on the petition by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News reports that APM concluded its case against Tinubu, APC, Kashim Shettma, and Kabir Masari after it called one witness to testify before the tribunal.

APM is challenging President Bola Tinubu’s election on the grounds that his running mate, Kashim Shettma was not qualified to contest having allegedly engaged in double nomination.

Petitioner’s lawyer, G. O. Idiagbonya, presented his client’s case by calling a witness, Aisha Abubakar, who described herself as the APM’s Assistant Welfare Officer.

Idiagbonya made the witness adopt her five written statements on oath and tendered some documents through her, following which he announced the closure of the petitioner’s case.

She was cross-examined by lawyers to the respondents, during which the May 26 judgment of the Supreme Court in the case by the PDP, where the apex court held that Shettima never had the double nomination, was tendered.

The respondents elected not to call evidence, but to rely on the May 26 Supreme Court judgment and a letter dated June 12, 2022, notifying INEC of the withdrawal of Shettma as a senatorial candidate of the APC for Borno Central Senatorial district.

After listening to all the lawyers in the suit, the chairman of the panel, Justice Haruna Tsammani, directed the respondents to file their final written addresses within 10 days from Wednesday.

He ordered the APM to file its written address within seven days from the date of the respondents’ filing and adjourned the hearing in the suit until July 14 for the adoption of written addresses.