Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Chairman of the Supreme Court panel hearing the appeals against the election of President Bola Tinubu, Justice John Okoro, said on Monday that the Peoples Democratic Party standard bearer in the February presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, must prove the allegation of certificate forgery levelled against the ex-Lagos State governor beyond reasonable doubt. Okoro handed down the admonition during the hearing of the election petition appeals filed by Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. He stated this following the submission of Atiku's lead counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, urging the court to admit the fresh evidence brought by the petitioners. Atiku's application was opposed by Tinubu's lawyers, citing privacy concerns even as they conceded that only the certificate should be released and not other privileged records. But Justice Okoro, while describing the matter as criminal in nature, said it must be proven beyond reasonable doubt. The court which had Uwani Aji, Mohammed Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Abubakar Tijjani, as other panel members, however, reserved judgment in the matter. The court also reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, against the tribunal's judgment affirming Tinubu's election. The seven-man panel led by Okoro after listening to the submissions of the parties involved in the matter said the judgment date would be communicated to them.