The battle for the presidency of the largest black Nation is hot even though it is still cooking. The Election Tribunal is getting ready to host a battle of Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
Indeed, the battle line has been drawn.
A combined total of 89 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) are set to banter the legal tussle among the three contending political parties in the 2023 presidential elections.
The fight for who to retain or reclaim the mandate took a new dimension when the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), hired a total number of 50 lawyers to represent the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
A 50-Man Squad
The president-elect officially inaugurated a team of 49 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to defend his victory at the February 25 presidential election before the presidential election petition tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal.
Furthermore, the inauguration was at the Ikoyi office of his lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).
The former Governor of Lagos told the 50-member team led by Olanipekun that the task before them was not just about defending his election. ‘It is a task that has the defence of democracy as its major task.’
Members of the 50-man team include Chief Akin Olujimi, Emmanuel Ukala, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, Tani Molajo, Tayo Oyetibo, Mike Igbokwe, Bayo Adelodun, Oladele Adesina, Oladipo Okpeseyi, Lawal Pedro, Chukwuma Ekomaru, Olasupo Shasore, Abiodun Owonikoko, Adesegun Ajibola, Solomon Umoh, Tunde Busari, Prof. Dakas Dakas, Ogwu James Onoja, Prof. J. Olukayode Olatoke, Chief Hakeem Afolabi and Dr Muiz Banire.
Others are Oladapo Olanipekun, A.U Mustapha, Chief Yomi Aliyu, Olusola Oke, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, Bode Olanipekun, Prof Lawan Yusufari, Anthony Malik, Babatunde Ogala, Funmi Quadri, Remi Olatubora, Kunle Adegoke, Abdul Mohammed Rafindadi, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, Marcel Oru, M.A Abubakar, Said Sanusi, Adebayo Mutalubi Ojo, Hanafin Mumin and Prince Lukman Fagbemi.
Team PDP
Also, on Wednesday, the camp of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar inaugurated 19 SANs.
They are to challenge the results of the poll.
They will also “establish the claim of illegality in the February 25 presidential election and reclaim the mandate of the Nigerian people”.
The team, led by JK Gadzama, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has 18 other SANs which include Chris Uche, Paul Usoro, Tayo Jegede, Ken Mozia, Mike Ozekhome, Mahmood Magaji, Joe Abraham, Chukwuma Umeh, Garba Tetengi and Emeka Etiaba.
Others are Chief Goddy Uche, Prof. Maxwell Gidado; the National Legal Adviser of the PDP, A. Ajibade, Mr O. Atoyebi, Mrs Nella Rabana, Paul Ogbole, Nuremi Jimoh, and Abdul Ibrahim.
Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu says, “Atiku raised a team of 19 Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
“You (Tinubu) claimed you won the election, yet you gather 50 lawyers; what are you gathering them for?
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“It is imperative that they work assiduously towards reclaiming the mandate, not necessarily because of him (Atiku) and the PDP, but to strengthen democracy and the electoral process and for generations unborn”.
The Third Force And Contender
Also, the Labour Party, which is the third contender, says it has more than 20 also ready to fight to reclaim its mandate.
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The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Umar Farouk says “we have more than 20 SANs that are willing to participate and offer their services for the renewal and emergence of a new Nigeria. As I am talking to you, our lawyers are working on it.
“But this is not something we can discuss on the pages of a newspaper. All I can tell you is that we have started ‘trekking’ to the court”.
This Election Tribunal is truly a battle of SANs and Nigerians are waiting to see whose kitty the judgement will fall.
