The All Progressive Congress and its standard bearer, Bola Tinubu, have rejected the proposal to consolidate the three surviving petitions being heard at the Presidential Election Petition Court wherein the outcome of the February 25 presidential election is being challenged.
Earlier on Saturday, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Haruna Tsammani, referred counsels to the petition to consult paragraph 50 of the 1st Schedule of the Electoral Act on the idea of consolidating the three surviving petitions to determine them as one.
It directed the counsels to consult their clients and report back the outcome of the meeting.
Upon the resumed sitting on the matter, Counsel for the APC, Charles Edosomwam, SAN, stated that consolidating the petitions would be against the interest of justice.
He said the justice factor is a major issue for consideration adding that “the grounds are different and the wide range of issues raised by parties are also different.”
He said, “Major issues before this court will be lost like a pin in a haystack” if the consolidation is considered.
“Moreover, it will be pragmatically impossible for the respondent to effectively defend the case.
“It is our position that the issue of justice cannot be sacrificed at the altar of convenience.”
In a similar vein, Tinubu, through his team of lawyers led by Akin Olujinmi SAN stated that consolidating all the petitions would strongly affect his ability to defend all the issues that were raised against him.
He asserted that the petitioners are seeking different reliefs.
