The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has assured that it would be fair to all parties in the four petitions pending before it that it.
The petitions are challenging the outcome of the last presidential election, won by the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), who is heading the tribunal’s five-man panel, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa gave the assurance on Wednesday while speaking at its inaugural sitting, held at the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal.
Justice Bulkachuwa said: “We assure all stakeholders that each litigant will be given equal opportunity to present his case in a mature manner before us.
“As we gather in this honourable courtroom today, I wish to use this opportunity to reassure Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, that the Court of Appeal will work in accordance and within the dictates of the Constitution, the law and international best practices, to dispense justices to all, without fear or favour, affection or ill will.”
She sought the cooperation of all, particularly the senior lawyers in the cases, and warned that the court will penalise infractions.
Bulkachuwa said there are, presently 786 petitions, with Imo State having the highest number of 76 petitions, which necessitated the posting of six panels to the state.
The PCA, who stressed the importance of an independent Judiciary in every democracy, noted that on Jigawa State where petitions were not filed.
