The PEPC in Abuja has postponed the continuation of proceedings regarding Mr. Peter Obi's petition against the outcome of the 2023 presidential election as the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, until May 17.

The decision to adjourn was made after all parties involved in the case, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President-elect Bola Tinubu, Vice-President-elect Kashim Shettima, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), reached an agreement. These parties are referred to as the 1st to 4th respondents in the petition.

As soon as the proceedings resumed, Obi and the LP informed the court that they had reached an agreement with the other parties to request a postponement. They needed more time to prepare and exchange required legal documents.

During the court session, Uzoukwu, SAN, stated that there were numerous pending processes and motions in the case. He further explained that the adjournment would facilitate a speedy and efficient resolution of the matter. Uzoukwu requested that the case be postponed until the following Wednesday to allow sufficient time to file and prepare all required documents for the hearing.

Uzoukwu also stated that there was an understanding to review and determine which documents were not in dispute and which documents were contentious before the next hearing. Mr. A.B. Mahmood (SAN), the lawyer representing INEC, acknowledged that the parties had convened a brief meeting on Wednesday afternoon, and subsequently agreed to request for a postponement of the proceedings.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), the legal representative for Tinubu and Shettima, echoed the need for the adjournment to ensure that all applications were prepared and ready for adoption by the next hearing. He stated that it was crucial to have everything in place to expedite the proceedings on Wednesday.

Likewise, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the counsel for the APC, expressed his client's belief that the adjournment would help hasten the proceedings.

After hearing from all parties involved, the five-member panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani agreed to the adjournment request. The court instructed the parties to identify the essential issues to be resolved in the petition. The pre-hearing session was then postponed for the continuation of the proceedings.