Presidential Tribunal: INEC’s Witness Fails to Show up for Defence Against Obi’s Petition

Presidential Election Petition Court Adjourns Hearing in Labour Party Candidate’s Petition

The hearing in the petition filed by the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, at the Presidential Election Petition Court was adjourned on Monday. The court postponed the proceedings until Tuesday, July 4, 2023, due to the absence of three witnesses, which prevented the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from presenting its defense.

According to Idan News, when the case was called at approximately 9:30 am, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), the lawyer representing INEC, informed the court that one of the witnesses scheduled for the day was unable to attend due to personal family matters. Mahmoud stated that although INEC plans to call three witnesses within three days, they required an adjournment until Tuesday to allow the witness to appear in court.

The lawyers representing other parties involved in the case, namely 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 Mahmoud’s request for an adjournment.

Presiding Justice Haruna Tsammani ruled in favor of the adjournment, setting the next hearing for Tuesday at 9 am.