The President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has informed the Abuja-based Presidential Election Petition Tribunal that he will answer to Atiku Abubakar’s request for the hearings to be streamed live.
In order for him to reply to the request for an injunction allowing live coverage of daily proceedings on petitions seeking to invalidate his election, the tribunal then postponed its decision until Thursday.
In a request dated May 5, former vice president and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar urged the court to allow the proceedings in the petition he filed to challenge the declaration of Tinubu as the election’s winner to be broadcast on television. Chief Chris Uche (SAN) was the head of his legal team.
In his response, Tinubu acknowledged receiving the application but stated that he would need time to react to it through his primary attorney, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
“My Lords, my immediate response is that he will hear from us within the time allowed by the rules,” he added.
Likewise, the counsel that represented APC, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), noted that the petitioners served him on Monday.
He added: “We are taking steps to respond appropriately to the application within the time permitted by the rules of this court.”
INEC has previously attested to receiving the application. The five-member panel headed by Judge Tsanammi postponed the pre-hearing proceedings on Atiku’s suit until Thursday.
It commanded all parties to organise all the paperwork they would either accede to or object to, as well as the major questions to be thought about in relation to the petition.
The court said that after all respondents had submitted their responses, it would hear the request for live transmission of its proceedings.
In the meantime, Tinubu has requested that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal reject the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, a case that seeks to void his election victory.
According to Tinubu, the petition lacked substance and value. Proceedings will continue tomorrow, Thursday, May 11.