The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal consist of a five-member panel of judges and is headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani.
The Presidential Election Petition Court’stask is to determine the validity of the 2023 presidential election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which led to the m=emegerce of the ruling party, APC’s candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The court had five applications pending, but only three of them will be heard today, Monday May 8, 2023.
Action Alliance has filed an application against INEC, APC, Bola Tinubu, and Hamza El Mustapha.
The second application is by the Action Peoples Party, or APP, against Bola Tinubu, the APC, and INEC
While the third is by Peter Obi and others against INEC, Bola Tinubu, Kashim Shetiima, and the APC.
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and it’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, would be heard tomorrow.
First, on the Presidential Election Petition Court’s plate was a notice for the withdrawal of the petition marked CA/PEPC/01/2023 by the Action Alliance (AA) and its Presidential Candidate in the election, Solomon David Okanigbuan.
Aside from Tinubu, others listed as respondents in AA’s petition are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress APC and Hamza Al Mustapha.
Other petitions slated for the pre-hearing session are those of the Action People’s Party (APP) marked CA/PEPC/02/2023, which has Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as three respondents.
It would be followed by that of Peter Gregory Obi and the Labour Party (LP) marked CA/PEPC/03/2023 with INEC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shetima and APC as four respondents.
Below is a profile and photos of the five-men panel members:
1. Hon. Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani – Chairman
Justice Haruna Tsammani was born on November 23, 1959. He hails from Tafawa Balewa LGA of Bauchi State.
Tsammani obtained his LL.B degree from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1982. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos for his BL in 1983.
He was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Bauchi State on 17th September 1998 and later elevated to the Court of Appeal on July 16, 2010.
He served as the Chairman of the three-man panel that granted Obi and Atiku’s motions to serve Tinubu their petitions by substituted means.
He also presided on the VAT case between the Rivers State Govt and the FG.
He prepared the judgement in Ajimobi v Balogun, affirming the election of Kola Balogun as Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District in 2019.
He is ranked 12th on the Seniority list of the Court of Appeal.
Justice Tsamani, in his opening remarks said the Court should be addressed as the Presidential Election Petition Court and not a “Tribunal“ and warned against sensational statements for the safety of the country.
2. Hon. Justice Stephen Jonah Adah
Justice Stephen Adah was born on June13, 1957. He hails from Dekina LGA of Kogi State. He is the presiding Justice of the Asaba Division of the Court of Appeal.
Adah obtained his LL.B degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1981. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos for his BL in 1982.
He was appointed a Judge of the Federal High Court on 12th November 1998 and later elevated to the Court of Appeal on November 05, 2012.
He served as a member of the three-man panel that granted Obi and Atiku’s motions to serve Tinubu their petitions by substituted means.
Adah led the panel that affirmed Ifeanyi Ubah as a Senator after his sack over alleged certificate forgery.
He also led the panel that affirmed Valentine Ozigbo as the PDP Guber Candidate for the Anambra Governorship Election.
He is ranked 22nd on the Seniority list of the Court of Appeal.
3. Hon. Justice Mistura Omodere Bolaji-Yusuf
Justice Mistura Bolaji-Yusuf was born on August 7, 1959. She hails from Oyo West LGA of Oyo State.
Bolaji-Yusuf obtained her LL.B degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 1983. She attended the Nigerian Law School the following year for her BL Certificate.
She was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Oyo State on 30th January 1997, and later elevated to the Court of Appeal on March 24, 2014.
She was on the panel that affirmed that Candidates of the Obaseki-faction were the authentic Candidates to participate in the 2023 Elections.
She is ranked 31st on the roll call of the Court of Appeal.
4. Hon. Justice Boloukuoromo Moses Ugo
Born on 07th June 1965, he hails from Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of Bayelsa State.
Ugo obtained his LL.B degree from the University of Calabar in 1989 before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School in Lagos the following year, for his BL Certificate.
He was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Bayelsa State on 21st March 2006, and later elevated to the Court of Appeal on March 24, 2014.
He is ranked 44th on the roll call of the Court of Appeal.
5. Hon. Justice Abba Bello Mohammed
Born on 19th February 1961, he hails from Kano State.
Mohammed obtained his LL.B degree from the Institute of Administration, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1984 before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School in Lagos the following year, for his BL Certificate.
He was appointed a Judge of the High Court of the FCT on 15th July 2010, and later elevated to the Court of Appeal on June 28, 2021.
He served as a member of the three-man panel that granted Obi and Atiku’s motions to serve Tinubu their petitions by substituted means..
Mohammed was Chairman of the Nasarawa State Governorship Petitions Tribunal that dismissed the case filed by David Ombugadu against Governor Abdullahi Sule in 2019.
He is ranked 71st of the 76 Judges on the roll call of the Court of Appeal.
