‘Double Nomination’: APM’s Suit Against Shettima Adjourned Over Lawyers’ Inability To Access Previous Supreme Court Judgment

The Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja on Friday further adjourned hearing in the petition of the Allied Peoples Movement against the candidacy of President Bola Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima, following its inability to access certified true copies of a similar case previously treated by the Supreme Court.

APM had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission, All Progressives Congress, Tinubu, Shettima and APC’s initial Vice-Presidential placeholder, Kabiru Masari, alleging that Shettima engaged in double nomination (as Borno South Senatorial District candidate and Vice Presidential candidate) contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.

But at Tuesday’s proceedings, Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun SAN, told the five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani that the Supreme Court had previously passed judgment in a suit related to the one challenging Shettima’s nomination.

APM had called for an adjournment to enable their team access to the higher court and take a stand on it.

The court subsequently adjourned to today, Friday.

But at the resumed sitting on Friday, APM’s counsel, Yakubu Maikaswa SAN, said he has not been able to obtain the Supreme Court judgement and so, he was not in a position to state the party’s position on its impact on his petition.

Lawyers representing INEC, Tinubu, Shettima, APC and Masari agreed not to object to the application for adjournment saying they too were yet to access the CTC of the Supreme Court judgement.

“The Petition is further adjourned to June 9 for hearing,” the court held.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the Supreme Court had on Friday dismissed an application filed by the People’s Democratic which sought the disqualification of the President Bola Tinubu and the vice president Kashim Shettima, over the latter’s alleged double nomination.

The apex court criticised the PDP for trying to mislead the public and court by alleging that Shettima did not resign as Borno State Central senatorial candidate before accepting to be VP to Tinubu.

Based on judicial precedent, the Supreme Court is the highest court of the land and its verdict is binding on lower courts.