Sidebar

Exclusive Reports

29
Fri, Mar

Supreme Court To Hear Atiku's Appeal Today

Featured
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

The Supreme Court will today (Wednesday) hear the appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the decision of Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to validate the election of President Muhammadu Buhari at the February 23 poll.

Atiku and his party are challenging the September 11 judgment of the Justice Mohammed Garba-led Tribunal. The appeals hearing has generated some controversies especially due to the silence of the Supreme Court on the justices that would constitute the panel, with the Coalition of United Progressives Party (CUPP) demanding the use of seniority in selecting them.

 

Dailytrust quoted a senior member of Atiku’s legal team, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), as saying they considered it strange that as at yesterday, the appellants still did not know those that would constitute the panel.

 

“It is strange, but we are prepared. For us, the Supreme Court is one. Ours is to go there and present our case and we believe they (court) will do justice in this matter. This matter is one that transcends party politics because it is a matter that will define future elections in the country.

 

“Also, it is a decision that the lower courts will now be guided by. So, we believe the Supreme Court will rise to the task notwithstanding who the individual members of the panel may be,” he said.

 

He added that the appellants were “extremely prepared with about 66 grounds of appeal and the arguments we have articulated both in our briefs of argument and reply brief. We are very comfortable that the Supreme Court will do justice.”

 

On his part, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), a top member of President Buhari’s legal team said the team is not particularly interested in knowing beforehand the justices of the court that would constitute the panel to hear the appeals.

 

The hearing is coming over a month after Atiku and his party, on September 23, filed 66 grounds of appeal before the apex court to challenge the judgment of the tribunal.

 

Meanwhile, the PDP has said that its evidence would give it victory at the Supreme Court against the APC.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS