The Presidential Election Tribunal has disclosed that it will begin to hear the cases brought before it by aggrieved opposition parties challenging the election of Bola Tinubu as president-elect after his success at the February 25 poll.

The hearing will be before Court of Appeal judges, who constitute the tribunal.

According to Nigeria’s electoral regulations, the candidates’ attorneys will agree on the witnesses and evidence to be used during the procedures on the first day of hearings.

Some candidates who were defeated in the recently held Presidential election had approached the election tribunal to seek redress, alleging that the election was rigged in favour of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the candidate of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, as the winner of Saturday, February 25 presidential election.

Mr Tinubu defeated 17 other candidates who took part in the poll. He received a total of 8,794,726 votes, the highest of all the candidates, meeting the first constitutional requirement to be declared the winner.

He also got over 25 per cent of the votes cast in 30 states, more than the 24 states constitutionally required.

Labour Party and the People’s Democratic Party PDP among others have petitioned the outcome of the poll.

The LP candidate, Peter Obi, stated in his legal suit that Tinubu was not qualified to run for office and requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hold a new election in which Tinubu would not participate.

In his part, Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, who hinged his petition on five grounds, is asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh poll over alleged irregularities at polling units during the presidential poll.

Atiku and his party further alleged that Tinubu was declared the winner of the election when all results and accreditation data from polling units were yet to be transmitted and uploaded by INEC.

No presidential election has been annulled by the Election Tribunal in the history of Nigeria since 1999 when the West Africa nation returned to a civilian rule.

Political class fear annulment, if it occurred, would lead to a long period of political gridlock and breakdown of law and order in the country.

INN