The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) and their petitions have been combined by the Presidential Election Petition Court.
On Tuesday, Tribunal Chairperson Justice Haruna Tsamani announced this in the court pre-hearing report.
All three parties are contesting the February 25 presidential election, in which the Independent National Electoral Commission proclaimed Bola Tinubu, the winner.
Tinubu received 8,794,726 votes, Atiku Abubakar 6,984,520, and Peter Obi 6,101,533.
On Tuesday in the Court of Appeal in Abuja, the Tribunal gave the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, three weeks to establish their case.
Witness statements will be accepted instead of oral testimony to expedite the Labour Party’s appeal.
Star (or expert) witnesses get 30 minutes for evidence in chief, 20 for cross-examination, and 5 for re-examination.
May 30 through June 23 is Peter Obi’s hearing.
Judge Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf presented the hearing report, saying the APM had only one witness and was allowed to prove its case one day.
According to Section 41(3) of the 1st Schedule of the Election Act, witnesses may only submit written statements.
APM’s hearing begins May 30 and ends July 3, with its evidence closing on June 6.
Atiku has three weeks to present his case for the PDP, starting May 30 and ending June 20.
Tinubu and APC have five days, but INEC has two.
The Labour Party and PDP will complete their hearings on June 23, while the unified suit will begin on May 30.
The Tribunal will sit Monday through Saturday.
