BREAKING:Presidential Petition Tribunal :Justice Garba Replaces Bulkachuwa

By Lukman Amusa

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal commenced sitting on Monday with Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba as the new replacement for the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.

Garuba, who is the Presiding Justice of the Lagos Division appeared during the sitting with a five-man panel as the new chairman of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.

Bulkachuwa had withdrawn from the panel on May 22 following allegation of likelihood of bias levelled against her by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the February 23 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The petitioners are challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

In his welcome address, the new chairman of the panel said what he intends to do is a call over of the petitions to enable the tribunal to schedule them for hearing because he is just joining the panel.

He called for the cooperation of the parties as it is time bound and the time is already halfway and there is need to prudently ensure the cases are heard adding that he will do everything to expeditiously hear the petitions in line with the laid down laws.