The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has finally released the official date to deliver its verdict on the petitions challenging the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to The Punch reports, the tribunal has fixed September 6 for the judgment of the Presidential Election and 25 state governors await the verdicts.
Recall that the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of Labour Party have been at loggerheads with President Tinubu for several weeks, contesting his eligibility to contest for the presidential polls and the alleged illegitimacy of his victory at the election.
The Presidential tribunal, however got to its penultimate after weeks of heated debate and argument at the appellate court, where the panel reserved judgment until September.
Meanwhile, there is pressure on the panel as the petitioners have urged them to shun intimidation from the presidency and issue a judgement that the people want.
Speaking on this development, Yusuf Ali, a senior advocate and member of President Tinubu’s legal team, expressed his optimism that the tribunal’s ruling would favour his client.
He said: “We pray for success at the end of the day. Cases are conducted in the court and not in the media, either social or mass media. The court listens to facts and applies the law.”
Similarly, the publicity director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, also stated that the party is relaxed and optimistic, contrary to insinuations that they are under pressure.
Bala Ibrahim, denied that the ruling party was under any pressure and expressed confidence that justice would be served.
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal PEPT has been hearing the petitions since May 2023. The parties have presented their witnesses and evidence, and the tribunal has reserved judgment.
The September 6 judgment date is significant because it is the last day for the PEPT to deliver its verdict on the petitions. By law, the tribunal has 180 days from the date of filing the petition to deliver its judgment.
The judgment of the PEPT is expected to be a major turning point in Nigeria’s political landscape. If the petitioners are successful, it could lead to the nullification of Tinubu’s election and the swearing in of Atiku or Obi as president.
However, if the petitioners are unsuccessful, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will remain in office.
In the meantime, the Presidential Tribunal has urged the parties to maintain the peace and avoid making inflammatory statements.
The tribunal has also said that it will not be swayed by public opinion or pressure from any quarters.
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