Counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Paul Ananaba, SAN, has denied the documents certified by the commission, which was issued to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola after the 2022 governorship election, at the Election Petition Tribunal.
At the hearing of the tribunal yesterday, counsel for Oyetola, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, tendered INEC Regulation and Guideline for the election, INEC Manual for Electoral Officials and Forms EC8As, which are election results for Osogbo, Ede North and Ede South local governments, among others.
After the documents were tendered at the court chaired by Justice Tertse Kume, INEC’s counsel, Ananaba, raised an objection to the documents, which had already been certified by the commission.
He declined consent to the documents issued as Certified True Copies (CTC) by the commission. Ananaba insisted by objecting to the documents as listed in the schedule, hinting that he would give reasons for his objection in the final written address.
Counsel for Adeleke, Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alex Izinyon (SAN), also objected to the admissibility of the evidence and indicated that they would give reasons in their final addresses.
Responding to their objections, Fagbemi sought to tender another evidence, which contained the ‘Schedule of the Documents’ to be tendered, but Ananaba again objected on the grounds that it was never pleaded.
Ruling, Justice Kume admitted the documents tendered by counsel for Oyetola and marked them as exhibits.
After the ruling, the petitioners’ counsel informed the tribunal that the tendering of other documents would be continued on Wednesday (today) and Friday, as the list of the documents to be tendered in the next sitting had been given to the respondents’ counsel to cross-check.
The tribunal then adjourned till the following day (Wednesday), for continuation of hearing.