Tribunal: You can’t stand in for Tinubu, court tells Lalong

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has barred Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State from standing before it as the representative of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

The Plateau State Governor had stood up and announced himself as Tinubu’s representative immediately after the first petition lodged against the outcome of the 2023 presidential election was called up.

“My Lords, my name is Simon Lalong, and I am here to represent Tinubu,” the Governor stated.

However, Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel declined to recognize him as Tinubu’s representative.

“You cannot represent an individual. Tinubu is not a corporation that would need a representative,” the presiding justice held.

But Governor Lalong responded, “My Lords, in that case, I will represent the All Progressives Congress, APC.”

Meanwhile, the court adjourned further pre-hearing session on the petition brought by Peter Obi and the Labour Party, LP, filed to nullify Tinubu’s election victory till Wednesday.

The court set the same date for another petition by the Action Peoples Party, APP.

At the same time, it adjourned the petition of Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, till Tuesday.