The Justice Angela Otaluka-led National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal (EPT) Sitting In
Minna High Court Complex has fixed Friday the 19th May 2023 for the commencement of
definite hearing in the petitions filed at the tribunal.
This followed the adoption of 16 out of the over 19 of the petitions filed by various lawyers
challenging the conduct of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections
across the country.
CAPITAL POST reliably gathered that the commencement of the definite hearing signals the
closing of the pre-hearing of the tribunal sitting that requested various counsels in the matter to
avail the tribunal with the numbers of witnesses and evidences to present.
Some aggrieved candidates in the election have approached the EPt with various allegations
ranging from over voting, non use of BIVAs machines among other allegations which resulted
into engaging the service of some legal practitioners to seek redress at the tribunal.
Three Senatorial Candidates who lost out in the election approached the ETP to seek redress
in the election.
Among them included incumbent Senator Mohammed Bima of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) of the Niger South Senatorial district. He is challenging his opponent of the People
Democratic party (PDP), Barrister Peter Nda Alkali who defeated him at the poll.
Similarly, Barrister Ibrahim Isyaku a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of the peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), who lost out to the incumbent Senator Mohammed Sani Musa of the
All Progressives Congress (APC) of Niger East Senatorial District while Abdullahi Shehu of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP is challenging the outgoing governor of Niger State, Abubakar
Sani Bello who contested and won under the All Progressives Congress of the Niger North
Senatorial District.
A total number of four Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANs) were approached to represent various
parties in the hot legal arguments at the election petition Tribunal slated for Friday, the 19th of
May 2023 while over 27 vibrant legal icons were equally to represent their litigants.
Prominent among the Senior Advocates are Barrister Mahmud Magaji, SAN Barrister
Mohammed Kudu Ndayako SAN, Barrister Sani Ndanusa Katun SAN and Barrister Johnson
Jacob Usman, SAN.
The EPT has 180 days from the date of the commencement of the pre-hearing to wind up its
sitting and the tribunal Chairman Justice Angela Otaluka has severally warned lawyers to avoid
unnecessary technicality that will stampede the speedy completion of the tribunal.
