The long-anticipated verdict from the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPT) is set to be unveiled on Wednesday, September 6th.
In an announcement made by Umar Bangari, the Registrar of the Court of Appeal, it was confirmed that the proceedings would be accessible for live broadcast by interested television networks.
In a statement, the court registrar stated, “The Court of Appeal wishes to inform the General Public that judgment in the following petitions before the Presidential Election Petition Court will be delivered on Wednesday 6th September 2023: CA/PEPC/03/2023 between Mr. Peter Gregory Obi & Anor VS. Independent National Electoral Commission & 3 Ors. CA/PEPC/04/2023 between Allied Peoples Movement VS. Independent National Electoral Commission & 4 Ors,”
He continued, “CA/PEPC/05/2023 between Abubakar Atiku & Anor VS. Independent National Electoral Commission & 2 Ors. In a bid to promote transparency and openness, these judgments will be televised live by interested Television Stations for the public to follow.”
While emphasizing the importance of accreditation for access to the court premises, he noted that only accredited individuals, including counsel and political party representatives, would be allowed into the courtroom. The general public was advised to tune in to television broadcasts to follow the proceedings closely.
Notably, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), along with their respective presidential candidates, had filed petitions with the tribunal in an attempt to invalidate the 2023 presidential election victory of President Bola Tinubu.
Furthermore, judgments from election tribunals in 25 states regarding governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly election petitions are also expected. These cases contest the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 25 out of the 28 states where elections took place.