Presidential Tribunal reacts to reports on date for its verdict

The Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) sitting in Abuja has denied that a date has been fixed for judgment on the respective petitions challenging the election of President Bola Tinubu.

A tweet by the name Serah Ibrahim on Monday tweeted that the PEPC “has set September 16 2023 as the judgment date for the Peter Obi and Labour party’s case against Bole Tinubu, INEC, Shettima, and APC.”

However, when asked to give confirmation on the news by reporters, the Secretary of the PEPC panel, Barrister Josephine J. Ekperobe, replied: “No date yet”.

The PEPC’s five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani was inaugurated to preside over petitions challenging the outcome of the presidential election declared in favour of President Tinubu by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Earlier, it was reported that the names of the Justices who will be presiding over the various petitions that will arise are: the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Haruna Tsammani; Justice Stephen Adah of the Court of Appeal Asaba division, Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Court of Appeal also of Asaba Division; Justice Boloukuoromo Ugoh of Kano division and Justice Abba Mohammed of Ibadan Court of Appeal.

Before the sitting of the five-man panel of justices headed by the presiding justice of the PEPC, Justice Haruna Tsammani gave the assurance that justice would be served.

Justice Tsammani said, “We are determined to look at the matter dispassionately and give justice to whoever deserves justice.”

He noted that the tribunal would consider the substance of each case over technicalities so that “whoever leaves here will be satisfied that justice has been done.”