The hearing on Monday is only a preliminary hearing, according to Tinubu’s legal counsel. Before the main hearing begins, the hearing is to determine if there are any applications. A schedule will be created for the hearing on the important issues.

On April 23, the petitioners’ responses to the court stopped as well.

Due to his party receiving the majority of the votes cast, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu had declared Tinubu the President-Elect on March 1.

He had polled 8.8 million to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 6.9 million, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) who amassed 6.1 million and 15 others.

Disputing the Result, Atiku and Obi filed separate petitions seeking orders to annul the election or declare them the winners of the polls.

The PDP presidential candidate, who anchored his seven prayers on five grounds, asked the Presidential Election Tribunal to declare him the president-elect.

Alternatively, Atiku urged the court to cancel the election and order a fresh election due to alleged irregularities that marred the February 25 polls in thousands of polling units.

In their petition, Atiku and the PDP argued that as of March 1 when Tinubu was declared the winner of the election, the entire results and accreditation data from polling units had not been transmitted and uploaded by INEC.

Obi, who came third in the election, alleged that the election was characterised by various irregularities including the non-qualification of Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima to contest the election.

He also alleged that Tinubu failed to win the majority of the lawful votes cast in the election, and just as he could not secure one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in the FCT.

Recall that the party had on Sunday postponed the screening exercise for the second time after it failed to hold last weekend, but no reason was given for the change in plan.

However, in an announced by the National Organising Secretary of the party, Suleiman Argungu, on Monday in Abuja, he said the party will be screening the 28 presidential aspirants who obtained forms on Tuesday, May 24th, and Wednesday, May 25th at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.

This was announced in a statement issued on Sunday night by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka.

The statement, however didn’t disclose or give any particular reason for the change in plan.

This is the second time that the APC National Working Committee will shift the date of the presidential screening after it failed to hold last weekend.

Morka added that a new date for the screening exercise will be communicated to the public shortly, without mentioning any specific time.

“The Screening Exercise for Presidential Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) earlier scheduled to be held on Monday, May 23rd, 2022, is hereby postponed,” the terse statement read.

“A new date for the exercise will be announced shortly. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”

Some of the key aspirants that have submitted their forms include Vice President Yemi Osibanjo; APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu; ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Niger Delta Development, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.

Recall that some support group purchased and submitted the N100m Presidential form of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on behalf of Adesina.

But reacting,  in a statement issued on Tuesday, titled, ‘Statement by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank’, Adesina maintained that he is not running for president.

The statement read, “I am very touched by all who have gone to a great extent, with such huge sacrifices, of their own volition, to consider me worthy to be proposed for potential consideration.

“The coalition groups of youth, women, farmers, physically challenged and well-meaning Nigerians that have done this have expressed their genuine free will, political right, freedom of expression and association for my consideration, with the interest of Nigeria at heart.

“While I am deeply honoured, humbled and grateful for all the incredible goodwill, kindness, and confidence, my current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to be considered.

“I remain fully engaged and committed to the mission that Nigeria, Africa and all the non-African shareholders of the African Development Bank have given me for Africa’s development.”

This is according to a source in the APC’s media office in Abuja on Sunday, Channels TV reports.

Recall that the exercise was scheduled to begin on last week Saturday, 22nd April 2022 but was postponed due to some logistics and administrative challenges.

This is coming four days after the party fixed the fees for the nomination forms — presidential hopefuls are expected to pay N100 million while those for governorship will pay N50 million.

The price of the nomination form for the state House of Assembly was pegged at N2 million, the House of Representatives is N10 million, and that for the Senate is N20 million.

While many Nigerians have described the fees as exorbitant in the light of current economic realities, the APC spokesperson, said the decision was justified.

“I get that people may have legitimate questions around that (referring to the cost of the nomination form). Don’t forget at the same time some of the most special groups of citizens were granted high consideration either in delivering nomination forms to them for free or in the case of women and people living with disabilities,” he said on Politics Today.

“Youths who are between ages 25 to 40 were granted 50 percent discount. The party advised the party on the price tags. What is the present situation in the country? We still live in a country where people live very opulent lifestyles and make legitimate money.

“APC isn’t for the rich. Things are not perfect economically. They are not perfect anywhere. The party made a decision that the value put on these forms are justified.”

In the same vein, the nomination and expression of interest forms for those seeking the party’s ticket to contest the governorship election in their respective states cost N50 million.

This was announced by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morgan, on Wednesday at a briefing with reporters in Abuja.

Ahead of the party’s primary and general elections, several chieftains of the ruling party, including aides to President Muhammadu Buhari and serving governors, have indicated their interest to succeed him when his tenure ends in 2023.

They include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor Bola Tinubu, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, as well as ministers Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation) and Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment), among others.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Executive Director, Irene Sewankambo, in a letter ordered telecommunication companies to “immediately suspend any access and use” of social media and online messaging platforms.

The action was believed to be a retaliation for Facebook deleting pro-government accounts “trying to manipulate” public debate before the polls.

Banned platforms include Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Signal and Viber.

The leading opposition candidate, Bobi Wine today said his home was raided.

“Last night, the military yet again arrested so many friends and comrades; two days to the election! Others are living as fugitives!”, tweeted the popular singer, real name Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

The vote will come after one of the bloodiest campaigns in years, as veteran leader Yoweri Museveni seeks a sixth term against popstar-turned-MP Bobi Wine, who has managed to fire up a youthful population that has mostly known only one president.

Wine, who has spent most of the campaign in a bulletproof vest and combat helmet facing teargas, bullets and numerous arrests, on Tuesday urged his supporters to “protect” the election from rigging.

Museveni, 76, has been in power since 1986.

This came Nineteen days after the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the February 23rd presidential election.

They spoke through the National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem, on the premises of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, venue of the tribunal where they filed their petition on Monday.

Atiku and the PDP are challenging the election of Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the grounds of alleged massive rigging, malpractices, and noncompliance substantially with the electoral laws.

In the petition filed Atiku and the PDP are praying that they be declared winner of the February 23 presidential election.

In the alternative, the two petitioners prayed the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to nullify the poll and ordered for a fresh election that will be conducted in lines with provisions of the electoral laws.

Although a copy of the petition cannot be obtained at the filing of the report, the National Legal Adviser of the PDP Emmanuel Enoidem, confirmed to journalists at the Court of Appeal, venue of the tribunal that the petition has been filled.

Mr. Enoidem said that the PDP and its presidential candidate have already assembled a powerful legal team, comprising 20 Senior Advocate of Nigeria and other retinues of lawyers who will establish the fact of the petition.

Enoidem said, “The last day for the petition was actually tomorrow (Tuesday) but we decided to file it today (Monday). We asked that our candidate who won the election massively across the country be declared the winner of that election.

“In the alternative, we also asked that the results be set aside on the grounds of irregularities which were very apparent across the country.

“We have a pool of 20 SANs, who are tested in election petitions matters, and other senior lawyers who are also working with them. So we are very ready for the petition. The petition is well packaged.

“The depositions are well put together. More than 400 witnesses are going to testify in this petition. Nigerians are at home with what happened on February in this country, the sham they called election.

“Of course, we are going to re-present the facts to Nigerians as the facts are already in the domains on Nigerians. We are not going to manufacture facts.”

On the order earlier granted to the party and its presidential candidate to inspect materials, he said that the inspection is being carried out from the polling units across the country.