Finally, the day many Nigerians have been waiting for is here. The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja will commence the pre-hearing stage for the petitions challenging the February 25 presidential election results.
Nigerians are anxious. Most believe that the Tribunal process can either make or break the strength of the Nation’s democracy.
Indeed, many persons look up to the tribunal as the last hope of restoring a ‘New Nigeria’ and up till this moment, they believe it is ‘POssible’.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner, with 8,794,726 votes.
INEC’s declaration whipped up sentiments, with supports of trailing political parties, insisting that there were manipulations.
Tinubu’s party told the opposition parties who were not satisfied with the results to “go to court”.
Sadly, the opposition has very little trust for the nation’s judiciary.
To them, Tinubu and APC may have already romanced the pockets of the judiciary.
Their fear is that the judiciary would rule in Tinubu’s favour.
However, in the heat of things, Peter Obi of the Labour Party pleaded with his supporters to keep calm, as he appeals to the Presidential Election Tribunal.
Atiku, who placed second also followed in that direction.
Their petitions to the Tribunal seek to annul Tinubu’s victory.
Understanding The Pre-Hearing Process
The president-elect has at least 50 lawyers, most of them senior advocates, handling the defence.
Meanwhile, a senior lawyer from Tinubu’s camp, who requested anonymity, explained the purpose and procedure of today’s pre-trial proceedings.
He states that the pre-hearing stage involves scheduling the hearing, determining the number of witnesses and their allotted time, and discussing the process for admitting documents.
The court will prepare a timetable for the hearing of the cases, specifying the number of days assigned to the petitioners and respondents.
It will also establish procedures for admitting documents, such as certified true copies and addressing objections.
“Will the court write a ruling on objection immediately or will the court write it in the course of the main judgment?
Those are the things that will happen today (Monday),” the lawyer added.
The Petitions: Atiku And Obi
Atiku’s 66-page petition requests the Tribunal to declare him the election winner or order a new poll.
He is contesting the results based on various allegations, including irregularities in the voting process and discrepancies in the vote tally.
Similarly, Obi seeks to annul Tinubu’s victory through his petition.
He raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process.
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Obi urged the Tribunal to investigate the matter and deliver a just verdict.
All Eyes On The Judiciary
As the pre-hearing process begins on Monday, all eyes are on the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
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Nigerians eagerly await the outcome of these petitions and their potential impact on the nation’s political landscape.
Some top lawyers in the nation have requested that the proceeding be made live for the viewing of all Nigerians. They insist it will promote transparency and trust on the nation’s judicial process.
What would happen if the judiciary fails?
