By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate in the February 25, 2023 election, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have asked the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) in Abuja to dismiss entirely a petition brought by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) against the declaration of Tinubu as winner of the election
APC and Tinubu on Tuesday argued that the petition filed by APM was worthless as it disclosed no reasonable cause of action.
In their separate motions on notice, APC and Tinubu told the Tribunal that the petition was incompetent on various grounds and does not deserve being given precious time of the Tribunal.
Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, who filed the motion on behalf of APC, said that the APM has no legs upon which its petition can stand.
Fagbemi SAN insisted in the motion that the election being challenged by APM was lawfully conducted and a clear winner declared in line with the provisions of the law.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, the senior lawyer, while notifying the Tribunal of the motion on notice, said it would be fully argued at the appropriate time.
Fagbemi confirmed that he had answered all the questions on the pre-hearing Form TF008 Information sheet as required by law.
He said the Form TF008 answer sheet was filled at the Tribunal on May 8th and served on other parties.
In his own submission, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, who stood for Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shetima informed the Tribunal that he had filed pre-hearing information sheet on May 3, 2023.
He notified the Tribunal of his pending motion on notice praying for outright dismissal of the petition on various reasons.
Olujimi SAN said he would argue the motion at the appropriate time allotted to it by the Tribunal.
The APM represented by Suleiman Abubakar SAN adopted his form TF008 pre-hearing sheet filed on April 28.
After taking arguments at the pre-hearing session, Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani fixed May 11 for further pre-hearing session.
Justice Tsammani ordered parties in the matter to sort out and agree on all documents they intend to tender during the hearing of the petition
