- Obi/LP tender result sheets from 17 states
Some filing discrepancies noticed in the schedule of documents to be tendered in the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the February 25 presidential poll, Atiku Abubakar, stalled hearing of the matter yesterday before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).
At the commencement of proceedings, the petitioners’ lawyer, Eyitayo Jegede, (SAN), told the court that the petitioners have filed a third schedule of documents, detailing the exhibits they planned to tender yesterday.
He indicated his intention to start by tendering INEC certified copies of Forms EC8B for 10 local government areas in Kogi State.
But the court’s Presiding Justice (PJ), Justice Haruna Tsammani, noted that the schedule was confusing and not explicit enough.
Justice Tsammani said the petitioners had on previous occasions, filed explicit schedule, which attracted commendation from the court.
“We had commended you before now and even asked others to learn from you. This schedule that you have filed now is not good enough. It is confusing. Maybe we should withdraw our earlier commendation,” the judge said.
Another member of the panel, Justices Stephen Adah also pointed out some inadequacies in the schedule.
Lawyers to respondents to the petition – Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) for INEC, Dele Adesina (SAN) for President Bola Tinubu and Mrs. Olabisi Shoyebo (SAN) – also raised similar observations.
Mahmoud, Adesina and Shoyebo observed that the latest format of the petitioners’ schedule was confusing.
Responding, Jegede blamed the variation in the format of the schedule on the earlier observation raised by the court.
Jegede said the decision to file the schedule in a new format was informed by the court’s past observation and directive that the petitioners should file a single schedule.
He said the petitioners were limited because of INEC’s delay in releasing the documents they applied for.
Jegede said his clients had paid about N6million so far in cost to INEC for the various documents they requested for to prosecute the petition.
Justice Tsammani suggested that proceedings be halted briefly to enable the petitioners address the issues raised.
But, instead, Jegede applied for an adjournment till the next day to enable the petitioners put their house in order.
The lawyers to the respondents did not object to Jegede’s application for adjournment, following which the court adjourned to resume hearing by 9pm today.
Also yesterday, the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, continued the prosecution of their petition by tendering Certified True Copies (CTCs) of Forms EC8B (for ward collation) from 17 states.
A member of their legal team, Benbella Anichebe (SAN), tendered all the documents from the bar.
Obi, who has been frequent in court, witnessed the early part of yesterday’s proceedings, but left midway.
Lawyers to the respondents – Steve Adehi (SAN) for INEC, Mike Igbokwe (SAN), for Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettma and Prof Mamman Yusufari (SAN) for the APC – objected to the admissibility of the documents.
Adehi, Igbokwe and Yusufari promised to provide reasons for their objection at the point of filing their final written addresses.
Anichebe tendered bundles of Forms EC8B from 21 local government areas in Adamawa State; eight local government areas in Bayelsa; 23 local government areas in Benue; 21 local government areas in Kogi State; 11 local government areas in Nasarawa State, 25 local government areas in Niger State, 18 local government areas in Ondo State and 23 local government areas in Sokoto State.
Others are 25 local government areas in Delta State, 11 local government areas in Ekiti State, 25 local government areas in Imo; 21 local government areas in Kaduna State, 27 local government areas in Oyo State, 18 local government areas in Cross River; 15 local government areas in Edo State, 32 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State and 20 local government areas in Lagos State.
Anichebe said the petitioners have with them in court, similar result sheets in respect of the 13 local government areas in Ebonyi State, but will tender them today because the state was not listed in the schedule of documents for the day.
He said the petitioners will move to tendering Forms EC8C during Wednesday’s hearing.
Upon his application for adjournment, which was not opposed by lawyers to the respondents, the court adjourned further proceedings till 2pm today.