Tribunal: Justice Bulkachuwa to deliver inaugural speech

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa will today deliver an inaugural address at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

A court official told newsmen on Wednesday that the speech would centre on the need for decorum by lawyers and the political parties, and the procedure for the conduct of the proceedings.

As a rule, the court would set out the ground rules for the speedy conclusion of the petitions based on Section 134 (1) and (3) of the Electoral Act. The panel may allot time for oral argument and for evidence.

There are four petitions in the tribunal, one being the petition by the PDP and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, alleging wide scale irregularities, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, corrupt practices, and non-qualification against the APC and its candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 23 presidential election.

There are also three other by the presidential candidates: Ambrose Owuru of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP); Geff Chizee Ojinka of the Coalition for Change (CC); and Aminchi Habu of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).