...By Enitan Thompson for TDPel Media.
Following the sitting of the Presidential Election Petitions Court in Abuja on Tuesday, the legal team representing presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has responded to the upcoming swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Bola Tinubu.
Atiku’s lawyer, Chris Uche SAN, issued a statement advising supporters not to be concerned about Tinubu’s May 29 inauguration, as the court proceedings challenging his electoral victory are still ongoing.
Uche emphasized that the swearing-in ceremony is merely a ceremonial event and does not limit the authority of the court.
He clarified that the court has the power to overturn an election, irrespective of whether or not the previously declared winner has been officially sworn in.
Meanwhile, the tribunal, on Tuesday, directed the petitioners to begin calling their witnesses starting from May 30.
Furthermore, the PEPT (Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal) consolidated all the petitions filed before it into one, recognizing that they all dispute the outcome of the 2023 election.
Uche expressed satisfaction with the consolidation of the petitions filed by the PDP, Labour Party, and Allied Peoples Movement.
He also acknowledged the court’s decision to allocate three weeks for them to present their case, which aims to expedite the legal process.
“We are very happy that the pre-hearing session has been swiftly concluded, and we are now proceeding into the main hearing,” Uche stated.
However, lawyers representing the Independent National Electoral Commission and Bola Tinubu declined to comment when approached by the press after the Tribunal issued the fresh directive regarding the petition challenging the election.
The statement by Atiku Abubakar’s legal team reflects their confidence in the ongoing legal process and the belief that the court’s decision could potentially impact the outcome of the election, regardless of the scheduled inauguration of President-elect Bola Tinubu.
