Appeal court grants pdp atiku permission to serve petition on buhari through apc

A significant development in the ongoing political drama in Nigeria!

Here's a breakdown of the news:

Appeal Court Grants PDP's Request

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has granted the request of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to serve their petition on President Muhammadu Buhari through the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Background

The PDP and Atiku had filed a petition at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, challenging the outcome of the February 23 presidential election, which declared Buhari the winner. The petitioners had sought to serve the petition on Buhari, but the APC had refused to accept the process, citing lack of jurisdiction.

The Appeal Court's Ruling

In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Abdu Aboki, ruled that the PDP and Atiku have the right to serve their petition on Buhari through the APC, as the party is the platform on which Buhari contested the election.

The court held that the APC is the "proper and necessary party" to receive the petition, as it is the party that sponsored Buhari's candidacy. The court also dismissed the APC's argument that the petition should be served on Buhari personally, as it is not a requirement under the Electoral Act.

Implications

This ruling is significant because it allows the PDP and Atiku to proceed with their petition, which could potentially lead to a review of the election results. The APC and Buhari's camp have 21 days to respond to the petition, after which the tribunal will fix a date for hearing.

The ruling has also sparked controversy, with some analysts arguing that it could lead to a delay in the electoral process, while others see it as a major boost for the PDP and Atiku's chances of challenging the election results.

What do you think about this development?