Tribunal Gives Obi Ultimatum For Hearing On Election Petition

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party, has been given a window of 21 days within which the elections petition tribunal must set a hearing date for his case.

In an exclusive interview with Punch, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, the Chief Spokesperson of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Committee, revealed this.

The event followed a report that Obi had officially petitioned the tribunal on Tuesday to contest the results of the election held on February 25.

An excited Tanko stated that the former governor of Anambra State has commenced the process of reclaiming the people’s mandate in court.

He said, “The tribunal has given 21 days of response. So it is only after then that they can fix a date for the hearing.

“This (duration) is a legal procedure from the tribunal. We have shared a copy of the petition to keep the media abreast of development. I am sure we will get a hearing date after the 21 days.”

Obi’s petition is coming four weeks after the contentious presidential and National assembly elections that produced the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Although Tanko did not reveal why it took his principal this long to file the petition, a source within the party disclosed that the former governor of Anambra State wanted to properly collate materials to back up his claim of massive rigging, voters intimidation and corruption allegation against the electoral umpire.

“You know Obi doesn’t like talking without getting facts. That’s why he took his time before he officially filed his case at the tribunal,” he said.

In the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023, Obi and the LP were joined as the plaintiffs while the INEC and the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; his deputy, Shettima Kashim and the ruling APC were 1st to 4th respondents.

Among other things, Obi is challenging the outcome of the presidential poll on the ground that Tinubu was not eminently qualified to contest an offence involving narcotics trafficking.

The LP flag bearer also cited INEC’s non-compliance with its guideline and the Electoral Act.