The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned to Friday, May 19, for a continuation of pre-hearing in the petition by Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
The court, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, set the date after the petition’s parties failed to agree on documents, among other things.
At the request of the petitioners, the Tribunal deferred the pre-hearing session on Obi and the LP’s plea until May 17.
However, on Wednesday, the justices came to begin the day’s proceedings and refused to accept the party’s participation other from Obi, despite the fact that LP National leader, Julius Abure, and the party’s factional leader, Lamidi Apapa, were both there.
A mild drama ensued between both camps of the LP on which group should be in court.
However, the Tribunal refused to take an appearance for the LP as the acting National Chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa, and the National Women’s Leader of the party, Dudu Manugu, tried to make an appearance for LP when the petition was called.
Justice Haruna Tsamani noted that if two persons are making an appearance for LP, they will not be put on record.