The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum has urged the judiciary to give an accelerated hearing on ligations over the 2023 presidential election and give its verdict before May 29, the swearing-in day.

The chairman of the forum, Simon Okeke, made the call at a news conference on Saturday in Abuja.

Mr Okeke said there was a need for the Supreme Court to give its verdict before swearing in anybody as the next president of Nigeria.

He also urged the judiciary to consider the corporate existence of Nigeria in handling the litigations on the presidential election.

Mr Okeke said that since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the presidential election result, the outcome had been challenged by five of the major political parties in the country, including the Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“We, therefore, call on the country’s judiciary to consider the general interest of the millions of Nigerians, as well as the corporate existence of Nigeria in handling these electoral petitions to avoid a miscarriage of justice,” he said.

He urged that power should be handed over to only persons pronounced by the apex court.

“Consequently, let the court complete its job so that all should know who the true winner is, and such winner will then be sworn in as the authentic President of Nigeria.”

(NAN)