LP, Obi tender evidence from six more states, 7 LGAs, as PEPT adjourns till Monday

Counsels to the Labour Party and Peter Obi continued from where they left off during last Thursday hearing, as they tendered more documents, including some Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) certified true copies (CTCs) of results to back its petition before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) in Abuja, Friday.

Obi and the Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, arrived in court around 9:20 am for continuation of the hearing at the PEPT.

LP/Obi’s Lead counsel, Barrister Awa Kalu SAN had earlier informed the PEPT that he had a schedule of more evidence which they desire to render before the court.

The counsel continued with evidence (election results) from all local government areas in Lagos, Kogi, Adamawa, Oyo, Bayelsa, and Edo states, presenting certified true copies of INEC election results from six local government areas (LGAs) in Rivers as evidence.

Also, presented were Form EC8A certified true copies sheets from one local government area in Niger (Bida), in addition to certified true copies of election results six LGAs in Rivers states, a completion of earlier Thursday’s presentations.

Having presented its evidence from states, Peter Afuba SAN, one of the counsel to the petitioner, who led the proceedings applied that all the certified true copies of election results tendered as evidence in the court be taken as read.

However, as has become routine, counsels to the first (INEC), second (Tinubu), third (Kashim Shettima) and fourth (APC) respondents objected to the admissibility of the documents.

The court, however, over-ruled and all the documents were admitted as evident, having satisfied already laid down rules by the court for the admission of evidence.

The LP/Obi team had tendered evidence from the 20 LGAs in Lagos, where they argued their votes were under-counted. The affected 20 LGAs include; Apapa, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu, Amuwo-Odofin, Ibeju/Lekki, Ikeja, Ifako-Ijaye, Kosofe, Oshodi, Mushin, Surulere, Agege, Epe, Ojo, Badagry, and Ajeromi-Ifelodun.

For Niger State, the 2nd (Bola Tinubu) and 3^rd (Shettima) replied: We Oppose and will advance reasons in our address.”

4^th (INEC): We similarly oppose the admissibility of the documents and will advance our arguments at the address stage.

Court: The bundle of CTC documents in respect to Bida LGA of Niger are hereby admitted in evidence and tagged Exh PE24

For Adamawa State:

LP: We now respectfully seek to tender CTCs in respect of 21 LGAs in Adamawa State.

At page 8 of our Schedule, we repeated one LGA, “Song LGA”. Deleting that one at number 10, we now have 21 LGAs. They LGAs are; Ganaye, Mubi North, Gireri, Song, Yola North, Hong, Maiha, Jada, Michika, Shelleng, Mayo-Belwa, Numan, Mubi South, Madagali, Demsa, Mubi, Guyuk, Toungo, Yola South, Fufore,

Lamurde.

INEC: We object and shall give reasons at the appropriate time.

2nd&3rd: We also object and will try to persuade your Lordships in our address.

4th: We also object to the admissibility of all the documents sought to be tendered in respect of Adamawa state and will in the fullness of time advance our reasons.

Court: Bundles of Documents in respect of form EC8As from Adamawa are hereby ADMITTED as evidence and tagged Exh PH1-PH21 respectively.

For Oyo State, the LP/Obi team conducted by Mr Emeka SAN tendered INEC Form EC8A certified true copies sheets of the 31 LGAs.

After the process, all the counsels to respondents, as usual objected to the admissibility of the documents and stated they will give a written address showing their reasons.

Justice Tsammani, Justice Ugo, Justice Bolaji, Justice Bello and Justice Adah examined through some documents thoroughly.

Justice Tsammani: The documents are now admitted as evidences to the court and as exhibits.

For Edo State certified true copies of Forms EC8A in 18 LGA in the state were tendered.

INEC: We object the admission of this documents and we would state reasons at the  stage of written address.

Second and Third respondents (Tinubu and Shettima): On behalf of the 2nd and 3rd respondent, we oppose these documents and we would give reasons in our written address.

4^th respondent (APC): We align ourselves with the position of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents and we would state our jurisdictions and reasons at the stage of written addresses.

Justice Tsammani: The 18 LGAs marked Edo as presented by the petitioners on this day as been admitted as evidences and marked as exhibits PL1 to PL16.

For Lagos, SAN Emeka read out the 20 LGA in Lagos and presenting the INEC Form EC8A results sheets.

INEC: We object the presentation of these documents my lord and we would state our reasons at the stage of address.

Tinubu and Shettima: We object to the admission of these documents and would state out so in a written address.

APC: We oppose to the documents which the petitioners are labouring to present and we would give our reasons to prove that they have laboured in vain.

Justice Tsammani has now admitted Lagos LGA sheets in evidence of the court.

For Akwa Ibom State, the LP/Obi counsel tendered the 31 LGAs certified by INEC.

INEC, APC and Tinubu’s counsels all opposed and stated they would give reasons in the final address.

Justice Tsammani: 31 LGAs in Akwa Ibom are hereby admitted as evidence and marked as exhibit PN1 to PN31.

After the presentations, the petitioner then suggested adjournment.

(LP/Obi Lead Counsel) Livy Uzoukwu SAN: My lord without prejudice, I think we are done for today and we are very ready to come tomorrow.

Justice Tsammani: So you’re seeking for adjournment?

SAN Livy: No my lord, I am not seeking for adjournment my lord. I am only saying since our time for today is over, let us reconvene for Monday.

Justice Tsammani: There is court date tomorrow. I am sure you saw our pre trial report?

SAN Livy: My lord, I am ready to come tomorrow if you want to come tomorrow.

INEC counsel, Mahmood SAN: My lord, please we have been going back to back throughout the week, let us reconvene for Monday.

Tinubu and Shettima: My lord, we are facing 3 petitions at the same time for over 9 hours, let us reconvene on Monday without prejudice my lord.

APC counsel: My lord, some of us have other things to do and to show other people that we are still doing their work. Even the people who started this wahala court (pointing to LP lawyers) want to reconvene.

Justice Tsammani: Court adjourns till Monday June 5th 2023.

Justice also informed that from Monday, sitting of LP will start by 2pm.

Earlier Friday, the Allied People’s Movement (APM) had presented its case which was heard and adjourned till Friday, June 9, 2023.

It would be recalled that during Thursday’s proceedings, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had called up three witnesses to testify on the irregularities which occurred during the February 25 elections.

The witnesses called up by the PDP’s Lead Counsel, Chris Uche SAN, were; Captain Agada Joe (Rtd), a state collation agent in Kogi State; Ogun PDP state collation, Dr Sunday Solarin; and Hon. Uzoma Nkem Abonta, who hails from Umuobuo Akwete, Abia State.

The PDP has so far tendered exhibits, including; the 2023 Presidential Election Results, INEC Forms EC8A (which is the summary of presidential election results) and Form EC8E series for the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, INEC certified documents in respect of number of PVCs collected for 2023 presidential election and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS machine-printed report for the 36 states, and the FCT.

Others tendered are additional Forms EC8A as downloaded by INEC (for 17 local government of Abia state and INEC authentication certificate), Forms EC8As for Bayelsa, Kaduna, Ogun states, certified true copies of Forms EC8Es from Kaduna and Kogi state.

The three witnesses were later cross-examined by the counsels to respondents, including; INEC lawyer Abdullahi Aliyu SAN, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, counsel for Tinubu and Shettima, and APC’s counsel, Fagbemi SAN.