Presidential election: Supreme Court hears Atiku’s appeals Wednesday

The Supreme Court has fixed Wednesday for the hearing of about six appeals on the case instituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to challenge the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the February 23, 2019 poll, it was learnt on Sunday.

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Atiku and his party had jointly filed their appeal before the apex court to challenge the September 11, 2019 judgment of the Justice Mohammed Garba-led Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.

The tribunal’s judgment, which Atiku and his party are dissatisfied with, had dismissed their petition challenging the outcome of the February 23, 2019 poll.

Subsequently, the petitioners on September 23, 2019 filed 66 grounds of appeal before the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment of the tribunal.

The PDP had publicly expressed concerns over the alleged delayed in the hearing of the appeals relating to the presidential election case.

Our correspondent learnt from senior members of Atiku and Buhari’s legal teams on Sunday that Wednesday had been fixed for the hearing of all the appeals.

Chief Chris Uche (SAN), a top member of the appellants’ legal team, confirmed to The PUNCH on Sunday that Wednesday had been finally fixed for the hearing of the pending appeals in respect of the February 23, 2019 presidential poll.

Uche said, “Yes, we were notified through a text message from the registry of the Supreme Court this morning (Sunday) that the appeals would be coming up for hearing on Wednesday.

“He said he expected that there would be a formal service of the hearing notice.

One of the senior lawyers in the Buhari’s legal team, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), also confirmed the Wednesday’s scheduled hearing to our correspondent on Sunday.

He said, “Yes, I can confirm that the hearing comes up on Wednesday. We have received hearing notices in respect of the five to six appeals scheduled for hearing.

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“Four of the appeals are interlocutory appeal. There is also an appeal challenging the main judgment.”

The Supreme Court’s Director, Press and Information, Dr Festus Akande, also confirmed the Wednesday hearing date in a text message he sent to our correspondent on Sunday. Nigerian News