The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed is presiding over the 7-man panel that will hear the appeals filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the February 23 poll.
Other members of the panel are Bode Rhodes-Vivour, Amiru Sanusi, Uwani Abaji, Ejembi Eko, John Inyang Okoro and Olukayode Ariwoola.
Atiku and his party are challenging the September 11 judgment of the Justice Mohammed Garba-led Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal which affirmed President Buhari’s victory at the polls.
The appeals hearing has generated some controversies especially due to the silence of the Supreme Court on the justices that would constitute the panel, with the Coalition of United Progressives Party (CUPP) demanding the use of seniority in selecting them.
Speaking with our reporter yesterday, a senior member of Atiku’s legal team, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), said they considered it strange that as at yesterday, the appellants still did not know those that would constitute the panel.
On his part, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), a top member of President Buhari’s legal team said the team was not particularly interested in knowing beforehand the justices of the court that would constitute the panel to hear the appeals. The hearing is coming over a month after Atiku and his party, on September 23, filed 66 grounds of appeal before the apex court to challenge the judgment of the tribunal.
