The Presidential Election Petitions Court has refused the applications of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to dismiss the petition by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) challenging the February 25 presidential election.

A five-member panel presided by Justice Haruna Tsammani on Monday held that dismissing the petition would offend the fair hearing principle against the party.

APM and its presidential candidate, Chichi Ojei had filed the petition based on the sole issue of Tinubu’s non-qualification to participate in the election over the alleged double nomination of his running mate, Kashim Shettima.

But Tinubu’s lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) had cited the judgment of the Supreme Court judgment on May 26 in a related suit by the PDP, which dismissed the suit on the grounds of lack of locus standi.