The legal team of the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its inability to present witnesses before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Monday.
Speaking with newsmen outside the court premises on Monday, the head of Obi’s legal team, Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), said INEC’s action is further evidence that the electoral body is not ready to defend the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in court.
INEC, the first respondent in the petition by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) before the Tribunal, was scheduled to open its defence today. The electoral body was, however, unable to do so due to the absence of its first witness.
At the mention of the case around 9:30 am, the lawyer to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), told the court that although his client plans to call three witnesses within three days, the one slated for today is unavailable because of some family issues.
Lawyers for other parties in the case – Livy Uzoukwu (SAN) for Obi/LP, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettma, and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not object to the request by Mahmoud.
This prompted the Tribunal, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, to adjourn sitting until Tuesday, 4th July, 2023.
Speaking on the development, Uzoukwu said INEC has demonstrated several contradictions and inconsistencies in the 2023 polls, adding that Nigeria has never had an election like this one.
He added, however, that he stands to be proven wrong.
The lawyer wondered why no explanation was given by INEC for the two other witnesses after it cited domestic reasons for the absence of the first witness in court.
“I am sure that they are not ready to defend this case. I stand to be proved wrong but I wish they defend this matter so that the public will come to see more things,” Uzoukwu said.
