Kayode Lawal
The Labour Party and its Presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi have indicated desire to challenge the election results in 18 States only.
They told the Presidential Election Tribunal Thursday that they would not dissipate energies in the states where they won convincingly and without any dispute.
However, at the end of proceedings, Obi and his party tendered certified electoral documents obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in only six States.
The documents mainly Forms EC8A, election results from polling units were admitted as exhibits to be used to establish alleged rigging and other malpractices during the election.
Presiding Justice of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani admitted the documents as exhibits after they were tendered by Chief Emeka Okpoko SAN who conducted the Thursday’s proceedings on behalf of Obi and the Labour Party.
Interestingly, INEC represented by Kemi Pinhero SAN which issued the documents and certified them as genuine dramatically announced its decision to object to admission of the documents.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shetima who are 2nd and 3rd respondents and represented by Adebayo Adelodun SAN in the petition challenging their declaration as winners of the election also hinted to oppose the admissibility of the electoral documents.
Similarly, the All Progressives Congress APC represented by Chief Afolabi Fashanu SAN argued that it would raise objections against the documents.
Breakdown of the tendered and admitted documents showed that Forms EC8A were tendered in 15 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, 23 in Benue, 18 in Cross River, 23 in Niger State, 20 in Osun and 16 in Ekiti Local Government Areas.
Meanwhile, further hearing in the petition has been shifted to June 2 by the Court at the instance of the two petitioners.
