2023 Poll: Obi, LP Challenging Results In Only 18 States
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25, 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP), on Thursday told the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), in Abuja that they would be challenging the election results in 18 States only.
The also said that they would not dissipate energies in the states where they won convincingly and without any dispute.
But, at the end of proceedings, Obi and LP tendered certified electoral documents obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from only six States.
The documents which were mainly Forms EC8A, election results from polling units were admitted as exhibits to be used to establish the alleged riggings and other malpractices during the election.
The 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 Labour Party.
Of interest was that INEC which was represented by Kemi Pinhero, SAN certified the document as genuine and issued by the Commission, however and in a dramatic display announced its decision to object to admission of the documents.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shettima who are 2nd and 3rd respondents and represented by Adebayo Adelodun SAN, in the petition challenging their declaration as winners of the election also announced his intention to oppose the admissibility of the electoral documents.
Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was represented by Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN also said that it would raise objections against the documents.
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.
Further hearing in the petition has been shifted to June 2, by the Court at the instance of the two petitioners.
