The decision of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stalled the hearing on the petition instituted by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shetima.
Tinubu, through his counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, told the Court that the petition challenging his declaration as President on the ground of “placeholder by Kabir Masari was resolved by the Supreme Court last Friday in a judgment on similar ground.
According to Olanipeku, the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (PDP) suit number SC/CV/501/2023 had resolved the grievances brought before the Court by APM.
On May 26, the Apex held that PDP, or any other parties, have no right to delve into how other parties conducted their primary elections and nominated their candidates.
The court described the party as a busybody and meddlesome interloper and imposed a fine of N2m on the party for meddling in the internal affairs of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Olanipekun argued that the APM’S petition was similar to the case taken to the Supreme Court by the PDP and dismissed on the grounds that the PDP has no business interfering with the internal affairs of other parties.
He submitted that the APM’S petition is predicated on the internal affairs of the APC and that the Supreme Court’s latest judgment resolved the issue in the petition.
He promised to make a copy of the judgment available within two days to the Court to examine the effects on the APM’S petition.
“We are sure the Supreme Court a decision on this same subject on Friday in suit no SC/CV/501/2023 in PDP vs INEC and 3 others.
“The court considered all the issues and resolved it. We promise that within the next two days, certified true copies will be made available for us.
“We will also confront the Petitioner whether there is still a need to continue with the petition,” Olanipekun submitted.
Responding, Counsel to the APM, Mr Sheu Abubakar requested for adjournment in the hearing of the petition based on the submissions and revelations of Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN.
“Based on the submissions of Olanipekun, we shall be praying to the court for an adjustment of the hearing of this Petition to enable us to apply to the Supreme Court for CTC to ascertain the effect the decision has on this Petition.
“We pray for adjournment till Friday,” Abubakar prayed.
Other parties in the matter had no objections to the motion for adjournment.
Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani granted the request for adjournment and shifted the hearing till Friday, June 2.
