The court also took arguments from lawyers to parties on the motion filed by the appellants to supply fresh evidence.
The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the appeal by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to file fresh evidence and nullify the ruling by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) which affirmed Bola Tinubu as winner of the last presidential election.
A seven-member panel of the court, led by Justice John Okoro made the announcement after lawyers to parties adopted their briefs of argument and made final submissions.
The court also took arguments from lawyers to parties on the motion filed by the appellants to supply fresh evidence.
Appellants’ lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN) urged the court to grant the motion and allow their appeal, grant the prayers sought and disqualify Tinubu.
On their part, lawyers to the respondents – Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN (for the Independent National Electoral Commission), Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN (for Tinubu) and Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN (for the All Progressives Congress) urged the court to dismiss both the motion and appeal for lacking in merit.
The court, which rose briefly, has now reconvened for the hearing of the appeal by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
SaharaReporters had reported how Atiku Abubakar appealed against the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Court at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The suit marked SC/ /2023 CA/PEPC/05/2023 was filed Atiku and the PDP as the Appellants while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu Bola Ahmed and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are the Respondents.
The Appellants in the Notice of Appeal said they were “dissatisfied with the decision more particularly stated in paragraph 2 herein, contained in the consolidated judgment of the Court of Appeal (sitting as the Presidential Election Petition Court), coram:- Haruna Simon Tsammani, JCA, Stephen Jonah Adah, JCA, Misitura Omodere Bolaji-Yusuff, JCA, Boloukuroma Moses Ugo, JCA, and Abba Bello Mohammed, JCA delivered 6th September 2023 in Petition No. CA/PEPC/05/2023 between Abubakar Atiku & Anor vs Independent National Electoral Commission & 2 Ors, particularly contained from pages 487 to 752 of the consolidated judgment (as well as the concurring contributions and rulings thereto) doth hereby appeal to the Supreme Court upon the grounds set out in paragraph 3 and will at the hearing of the appeal seek the reliefs set out in paragraph 4.”
The Presidential Election Petition Court had dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and Atiku challenging the election of President Bola Tinubu.
The tribunal also dismissed the petition of Peter Obi of the Labour Party, challenging Tinubu’s election, describing it as “unmeritorious”.