APC Appoints 12 SANs To Defend Tinubu’s Mandate In Election Petition Tribunal

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed a team of 12 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to defend the mandate of its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, in the recently concluded polls. 

Tinubu had polled 8,794,726 votes in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states, winning by a margin of almost two million votes over his closest rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), have rejected the outcome of the election and vowed to challenge the result in court. The ruling party has stated that it is willing to meet the parties in court and has released a list of 12 highly qualified and experienced lawyers to represent the party at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The list is led by Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, a renowned lawyer who has successfully handled various high-profile election matters and other landmark cases. Other members of the team include Wole Olanipekun, Ahmad Usman El-Marzuq, Sam Ologunorisa, Rotimi Oguneso, Olabisi Soyebo, Gboyega Oyewole, Muritala Abdulrasheed, Aliyu Omezia Saiki, Tajudeen Oladoja, Pius Akubo, Oluseye Opasanya, Suraju Saida, and Kazeem Adeniyi.

In a statement, the party’s National Legal Adviser, Ahmad Usman El-Marzuq, said, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed a team of highly qualified and experienced lawyers to represent the Party at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. The team is composed of legal luminaries with vast experience in election to conduct themselves with professionalism and respect for the rule of law throughout the legal process.

The appointment of the senior advocates highlights the importance of the legal battle that lies ahead, as both parties prepare to present their cases before the tribunal. The ruling party hopes that the legal team’s vast experience and expertise will help them successfully defend Tinubu’s mandate and secure his victory in the presidential election.

The appointment of Wole Olanipekun as the lead counsel to the ruling party at the Presidential Election Tribunal is particularly significant, given his reputation as a legal icon and his track record of successfully handling high-profile cases.

As the legal battle unfolds, Nigerians will be watching closely to see how the courts will adjudicate the dispute and whether justice will be done. The outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for the future of the country’s democracy, as it will set a precedent for how future election disputes are resolved.