2023: Bola Tinubu’s Legal Team To Battle Atiku, Peter Obi Now 50 – Onanuga

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) has said the total number of lawyers representing the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, had risen to 50.

Recall that the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), had challenged Tinubu’s victory in the just-concluded presidential election in court.

The LP and PDP candidates, in separate suits, insisted that they have evidence to prove in court that the February 25th election was rigged.

Following the development, the APC announced the appointment of a team of experienced lawyers to defend the President-elect in court.

In a statement on Tuesday, the party’s National Legal Adviser, Ahmad El-Marzuq, said the legal team consisted of 12 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

El-Marzuq also disclosed that the team of SANs would be led by Prince Lateef Fagbemi, a renowned lawyer, who has successfully handled various high-profile election matters and other landmark cases.

Others are Sam Ologunorisa, Murtala Abdulrasheed, Rotimi Ogunesom Olabisi Soyebo, Gboyega Oyebowale, Pius Akubo, Aliyu Saiki, Oluseye Opasanya, Tajudeen Oladoja, Kazeem Adeniyi, and Suraju Saida.

Also, the 50 senior lawyers have been lined up to defend the victory of the President-elect at the Presidential Election Tribunal, and some of the lawyers were said to have opted for free service to actualize Tinubu’s mandate.

In a chat with The Punch on Wednesday, the PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, said the list released by the party partially just identifies the lawyers who will be involved in the case.

Onanuga also identified popular legal luminary, Wole Olanipekun, and the PCC counsel, Babatunde Ogala, as leading the other lawyers to court.

The APC chieftain stated that the total number of lawyers set to defend Tinubu’s victory had risen to 50, adding that there is an ongoing move to harmonise the list as one.

He said, “The earlier list released by the APC partially just reflects the lawyers who will be involved in the case. It does not capture the full picture. I am aware, for instance, that Wole Olaonipekun is the leader of the team. And of course, the man who has been representing Asiwaju all these while in the court, Babatunde Ogala, is also a member of the team.

“I am aware that what we have in the public arena is just a partial list. There is no conflict concerning it. But there is an ongoing move to harmonise the list as one. Altogether, I think there are about 50 of them in all.”