The Justice Mohammed Garba-led Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), sitting at the Court of Appeal, Abuja has convened to deliver judgment in the petition filed by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 23, general election.
Below are highlights of the proceedings:
Live scenes from outside the courtroom. Security is tight as @OfficialAPCNg @OfficialPDPNig Chieftains arrive #RootsTVLiveReport#PEPTSAVENIGERIA #PEPTUpdate#Atiku #Buhari pic.twitter.com/PlnNEh5GNz
— RootsTv (@rootstvnigeria) September 11, 2019
8:00am There is a very heavy presence of security officials at the court premises while the tribunal is set to commence with many lawyers present.
8:23 am The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari who was also a witness for the president at the tribunal arrives the courtroom.
8:45am The Minister of State for Niger Delta, Festus Keyamo arrives courtroom. Keyamo, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria exchanges pleasantries with lawyers upon his arrival at the court premises.
8:46am Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong arrives the courtroom.
9:09am Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus arrives the courtroom. He also went around and exchanged pleasantries with lawyers defending the PDP in the petition.
09:10 am He also embraced the Chairman of the opposing party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomole.
Also in court is the governor of Kebbi State Senator Bagudu, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige and the Minister of Works and Housing, Raji Fashola.
9:29 am The panel of the tribunal arrived for the final time in this petition.
The five-man panel include the Chairman, Justice Mohammed Garba. Others include Justice Peter Olabisi-Ige, Justice Abdul Aboki, Justice Joseph Ikyegh and Justice Samuel Oseji.
The panel is led by Justice Mohammed Garba.
9:36am The parties take appearances after which the chairman of the tribunal will deliver the ruling.
09:49am The tribunal at the pre-trial hearing reserved rulings in some preliminary objections to today’s judgment.
The Chairman then announced that those rulings will be delivered before the final judgment in the petition.
10:01 am The first Preliminary Objections being heard is the one filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asking the tribunal to dismiss the petition of the PDP and Atiku for not joining the vice-president who participated in the election as a necessary party.
