Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal has released the weekly report of the suits challenging the declaring of Bola Tinubu of the ruling APC as the winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
During the week Peter Obi and Labour Party tendered evidence of electoral materials from states across the country including Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Kogi, Imo among others, witnesses were also called.
The materials tendered were admitted by the court despite series of objections from the counsel of the respondents – Bola Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, INEC and APC.
Similarly, Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) also tendered election materials from states including Kogi. Witnesses were also called.
Here is the report as released by the tribunal.
5th June, 2023
PREPEC 2023 hears the witness statement brought before it by the PDP and Atiku. At the sitting, Counsel to the Petitioners invited four witnesses to the witness stand.
PREPEC admitted exhibits of results by LP & Peter Obi. LP tendered election documents of forms EC8A of 8 states Tendering documents on behalf of the LP, the Counsel started with Ebonyi State forms EC8A of 13 LGA, Nasarawa 3, Delta 25, Kaduna 23, Imo 27, Ondo18, Sokoto 7 & Kogi 21.
After the presentation, Counsel to all the Respondents objected to the admissibility of the documents saying that they will reply in due time through their formal addresses.
PREPEC later adjourned the matter for continuation to
6th June, 2023
6th June, 2023 PREPEC 2023 granted adjournment request to PDP to enable them amend their schedule of documents. While the Petitioners were tendering forms EC8A in Kogi, members of the tribunal were dissatisfied with the manner in which the schedule of documents were arranged.
This made the counsel to apply for adjournment to 7th June to provide more comprehensive & detailed schedule with additional CTC from INEC to tender it.
Counsel to the petitioner had complained to the Court that the INEC was not forthcoming in making the CTC available to them.
PREPEC 2023 received exhibits of CTC of forms EC8Bs of 17 states as evidence from LP & Peter Obi.
They include: Adamawa 21, Bayelsa 8, Benue 23,Kogi 21,Nasarawa 11,Niger 25, Ondo 18, Sokoto23, Delta 25, Ekiti 11, Imo 25,Kaduna 21,Oyo 27,Cross River 18,Edo 16,Akwa Ibom 31 & Lagos 20.
Admissibility of all the documents were objected to by Counsels to the respondents stating that they will be giving reasons for the objections in their written addresses. The matter was further adjourned by the Chairman of the panel Hon. Justice Haruna Tsammani till 7th June 2023.
7th June, 2023
PREPEC 2023 received CTC of forms EC8A of Kogi State in 10 LGAs from PDP & Atiku. Counsel to PDP, after calling the first witness, called the subpoenaed witness but was objected to by Counsels to the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Respondents. The hearing was adjourned till 8th June
In the hearing of the Petition brought before the PREPEC by Peter Obi & LP, Counsel to the Petitioner tendered the supplementary list of forms EC8Bs for Kaduna &. Oyo. The petitioner tendered 15 states forms EC8Bs Oyo 3, Nasarawa 2, Bayelsa8, Benue 23, Cross River State 18, Ebonyi10, Edo 8.
Others were: Lagos 20, Niger 25, Ondo 18, Oyo 33, Rivers 23, Sokoto 23, Ekiti 16 and Delta 25. He equally tendered forms EC8Ds for 36 states of the country and presented the national results for 36 states and FCT which was not objected for admissibility by the respondents.
Every other forms tendered were objected to for reply to be made available through their written addresses. Chairman of the panel, Hon Justice Haruna Tsammani further adjourned the matter to the 8th of June for continuation.
8th June, 2023 PREPEC 2023: Counsel to the petitioner called on the subpoenaed witnesses an ex-corps member who served as INEC adhoc staff. Counsel to the 2nd Respondent, objected to the witness statement sighting irregularities in the manner he was tendered to the court.
His objection was also supported by the 1st and 3rd Respondents Counsels. The court further over ride the objections to hear the Witnesses. The matter was adjourned to Friday 9, June for continuation.
PREPEC 2023: Also at the hearing on Thursday, the Labour Party called on one witness who is a software engineer and an architect. He said that his opinion on his witness statement on oath was as a result of his knowledge and research he made about the INEC portal.
After listening to the witnesses, Counsel to the petitioner tendered forms EC40G of Bayelsa states in respect to 4 local government areas. The Chairman of the panel Hon. Justice Haruna Tsammani further adjourned hearing to 9th, June 2023.
9th June, 2023 PREPEC 2023: PDP through its Counsel, presented three INEC adhoc staff subpoenaed by the Court to testify over the conduct of the February 25th Presidential Election.
PREPEC 2023: Counsel to APM, informed the Court that they were still where they were as regards to obtaining the said Judgement from the Supreme Court and that even the 2&3 Respondents who raised the objection,& ordinarily should bear the burden of getting it are unable to do so.
He thus plead for adjournment for more time to get the judgement from the Supreme Court. The Chairman of the Tribunal, Hon. Justice Haruna Tsammani further adjourned the matter to 19th June, 2023 for hearing.
PREPEC 2023: LP in a bid to present their subpoenaed witness were faced with objections from the Respondents. Counsels to the 2nd &3rd Respondents, said that the witness statement on oath was not tendered to the Tribunal before now and that made the witness incompetent.
The Tribunal adjourned ruling on the objection till the final judgement. The Chairman of the panel Hon. Justice Haruna Tsammani further adjourned the matter for hearing of the witness statement till 10th June, 2023.
The Tribunal adjourned ruling on the objection till the final judgement. The Chairman of the panel Hon. Justice Haruna Tsammani further adjourned the matter for hearing of the witness statement till 10th June, 2023.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
