PEPT: Tinubu Opens Defence In Obi’s Petition July 5.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 open his defence in a petition filed by the Labour Party (LP), and its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja.

Tinubu was on March 1, 2023 declared winner of the disputed election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which declared Tinubu as winner of the February 25, presidential election.

The decision by Tinubu to begin defence followed INEC’S dramatic decision on Tuesday to terminate its own defence in Obi’s petition after calling one witness and tendering four documents.

Even though INEC told the Court of its intention to justify the conduct of the poll with three witnesses, its lead counsel, Mr Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud SAN, dramatically announced the closure of the electoral Commission’s defence at Tuesday’s proceedings.

Lead Counsel to Tinubu, Chief Wole Olanipekun  SAN, informed the Court that his client is fully ready to kick-start the defence on July 5, with his witnesses and documents to justify his victory in the presidential election.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, INEC’S witness, Dr Lawrence Bayode admitted that the electoral body suffered glitches during the presidential election but, quickly added that the glitches did not in any way affect the conduct of the election, collation of results and declaration of final results.

Commenting on the allegation of blurred result sheets on INEC’S portal, the Deputy Director of Information and Communication said that clear result sheets can still be obtained on request by those in need of them.

Further hearing in the petition has been shifted to July 5, by the Court.