Victor EzejaThe presidential Election Petition Court has again adjourned the case between Peter Obi of Labour Party and All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, to Friday, May 19, 2023.
This second consecutive time that the court has adjourned the trial headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani of the PEPC.
READ ALSO: Breaking: Tribunal Adjourns Obi’s Case Against Tinubu Till Wednesday May 10
Prime Business Africa reports that the trial of the case filed by Obi began today, Monday, 8th May. After pre-hearing it adjourned to May 10 with an order that the petitioners should reconcile their documents to be presented as evidence.
The court however, adjourned again, and fixed today, Wednesday, May 17, for the continuation of the pre-hearing.
Justice Tsammani fixed the date, following the failure of parties in the petition to agree on documents among other reasons.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Okonkwo, one of the spokespersons of Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, and a member of Obi’s legal team at the tribunal accused the respondents of making efforts to stall the trial by pushing for long adjournment.
Okonkwo stated this in a tweet on Wednesday afternoon.
In another tweet, he said the legal team for LP and Obi has informed the petition tribunal that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to give them 70 per cent of the evidence which they are required to give by law.
Okonkwo queried why the Commission isn’t releasing the documents as required by law if they do not have anything to hide.
In the petition jointly filed by Obi and Labour Party, INEC, APC, Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima were joined as respondents.
“The @PeterObi legal team has revealed that INEC refused to give the Legal team 70% of the evidence which they are required to give by law. If they do not have anything to hide, why are they not giving us the required evidence as they should.
“In the case of Rivers State, the REC blatantly refused to give us anything. However, God is in control. We are on it,” Okonkwo wrote.
The LP candidate in the 25 February election, Peter Obi was present in court. However, according to Channels TV report, the justices presiding the tribunal refused to acknowledge those who came out to represent the party.
Acting National Chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa, as well as the National Women’s Leader of the party, Dudu Manugu, tried to make an appearance for Labour Party when the petition was called, but were rejected.
At the resumed hearing, counsel for Labour Party, Livy Uzoukwu told the court that their effort to agree on documents to be tendered for hearing has not been successful because INEC has only made available 30 per cent of the documents required from them.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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