Nigerian newspaper review for March 28: Court clears Atiku to serve petition on Buhari via APC
The main headlines of mainstream Nigerian newspapers of Thursday, March 28, are focused on the approval of the court for PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to serve petition on President Muhammadu Buhari through APC, race for leadership of the ninth National Assembly among others.
The Guardian reports that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, was on Wednesday, March 27, given permission by the Court of Appeal to serve his petition on President Muhammadu Buhari through substituted means.
According to counsel to Atiku and the PDP, Chris Uche (SAN), serving the president the petition personally has become practically impossible.
He requested that the president be served through substituted means, which the court granted.
The counsel predicated his application on seven grounds with a 17-paragraph affidavit as well as a further affidavit of five paragraphs.
The court ruled: “After carefully reading the affidavit and the grounds upon which the ex parte application is predicated, the court is convinced that it is in the interest of justice that the request of the two petitioners be granted."
The Guardian Newspaper for Thursday, March 28
Vanguard reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted on the choice of Senator Ahmed Lawan for the position of Senate president ahead of the ninth National Assembly. The ruling party said the choice of Lawan was binding on its senators.
According to report, the choice of Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker of the House of Representatives has sparked a crisis in unexpected quarters within the party.
Some members from the southwest who believe that Gbajabiamila's emergence as speaker would disrupt the popular agitation for a female senator-elect from the region to become deputy speaker are those resisting the choice of Gbajabiamila.
Vanguard Newspaper for Thursday, March 28
This Day also reports that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his party, were on Wednesday, March 27, given approval by the Court of Appeal to serve petition on President Muhammadu Buhari through substituted means.
Atiku and the PDP are challenging the outcome of the February 23 presidential election.
The court ruled: “Leave is hereby granted to serve the petition and other processes via substituted service through any of the senior officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).’’
The Nation on its part reports that following its decision to choose Senator Ahmed Lawan for the position of Senate president, leaders of the All Progressives Congress have made a move to pacify those rejecting the choice.
On Wednesday, March 27, President Muhammadu Buhari met with one of the leading contenders for the job, Senator Danjuma Goje.
According to report, another aspirant for the position of the Senate president, Senator Ali Ndume, was also met by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state, who was said to have urged the aspirant to accept Lawan for the position.
This Day Newspaper for Thursday, March 28
The Punch reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was written by the Zamfara state All Progressives Congress (APC), the state governor-elect, Muktar Shehu, and other winners of the 2019 elections on the platform of the APC.
In the letter which was written on behalf of the governor-elect and 38 others by their counsel, Magaji Mahmmud (SAN), the APC members said the Court of Appeal in Sokoto in its March 25 judgement did not “make any positive consequential order".
