INEC Witnesses Absent In Court For Defence Of Tinubu’s Victory

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, July 3, 2023 in Abuja began its defence of the February 25, presidential election on a shaky ground as none of its three witnesses was present at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPEC).

INEC, contrary to the scheduled activities of the PEPEC which was to commence its defence wobbled as it failed to present its witnesses for the election it conducted but, which is being disputed in Court.

Its lead counsel and former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Abubakar Balarabe Mahmood SAN told the Court of his plan to call three witnesses to counter the allegations of the Labour Party LP and its Presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Obi, lamenting however that none of the witnesses was in court due to domestic reasons for him to open the defense.

Mahmood therefore pleaded with the Court for an adjournment of his defense.

However, lead counsel to Peter Obi, Dr Livy Uzuoku, SAN expressed shock and surprised with the conduct of the electoral body, saying that the INEC lawyer ought to have taken him into confidence before the commencement of the proceedings.

However, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, who stood for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, who represented the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not object to request for adjournment by INEC.

The presiding Justice of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani accordingly approved a July 4, as new date for INEC to commence its defence.