Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, on Tuesday, reopened its hearing on the election petition filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour party, LP, Peter Obi, challenging the victory of president Bola Tinubu in the February 25 poll amid a rowdy session.
Counsel to the presidential candidate of the Labour Party commenced the day in court by tendering five exhibits which were admitted by the presiding judge. Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani.
The five documents filed were those relating to Tinubu’s alleged drug forfeiture in the United States of America, Independent National Electoral Commission’s forms on Shettima’s nomination in addition to presenting a first witness, Mr. Lawrence Uchenna Nwakaeti from Ihiala, Anambra State.
Also admitted in evidence is the deposition of the witness which he adopted as his oral evidence and other election papers before the panel
The witness adopted his statement on oath.
On cross examination, Inec’s counsel as well as Tinubu’s counsels took the witness on to confirm whether all he told the court about electoral forms and the U.S court judgement was his legal opinions or not, to which he answered that it was in line with ‘pure law’.
The Anambra based legal practitioner who was Obi’s first witness also admitted that there was no certificate from any Consular in Nigeria or America in support of the judgment but insisted that “the judgment speaks for itself”, but argued that were use of fine in the judgment .
He claimed to have been to the United States of America and read the judgment in its entirety adding that he would be surprised if no mention was made of $460,000 forfeiture.
Counsels to Tinubu, Wole Olanipekun and Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, expressed their reservations to the deposition, but reserved their comment for the final address as stipulated by the court.
The case was subsequently adjourned to Wednesday, 31, May, 2023.