The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Nigeria on Monday began hearing suits filed by the opposition parties challenging President-elect Bola Tinubu’s win in the February polls.
The Labour Party, led by its candidate Peter Obi, were among those who arrived at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, where the pre-trial conference was held.
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of the February 25 polls after he garnered 8.79 million votes.
Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 6.98 million votes, while Obi came third with 6.1 million votes.
Both Abubakar and Obi rejected the election outcome, alleging widespread poll irregularities.
The two would later join forces with three other opposition politicians to file a petition at the tribunal.
The Punch newspaper reports that Court of Appeal judges Stephen Adah, Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Boloukuoromo Ugoh and Abba Mohammed will hear the matter. Also on the panel, is Court of Appeal Chief Registrar Haruna Tsammani.
Tinubu is scheduled for swearing-in on May 29, when he will take over from his longtime friend Muhammadu Buhari, who has completed his two terms in office.
It is unlikely that the presidential election petition tribunal would have rendered its verdict by then.
