INEC’s defense of the February 25 presidential election got off to a shaky start on Monday in Abuja. None of the three witnesses from INEC were present at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPEC), despite it being their scheduled appearance.
Abubakar Balarabe Mahmood SAN, the lead counsel for INEC and former President of the Nigeria Bar Association NBA, informed the court that he intended to call three witnesses to counter the allegations made by the Labour Party (LP) and its Presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Obi. However, he expressed regret that none of the witnesses could be present in court due to personal reasons.
Mahmood requested an adjournment of the defense to accommodate the absence of the witnesses, pleading with the court for understanding.
Dr. Livy Uzuoku SAN, the lead counsel for Peter Gregory Obi, expressed surprise and disappointment with INEC’s conduct. He believed that INEC’s lawyer should have informed him prior to the start of the proceedings.
On the other hand, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN, who represented the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not object to INEC’s request for an adjournment. They agreed to shift the case to a new date.
Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, the presiding judge, subsequently rescheduled the proceedings to July 4 to accommodate INEC’s plea for an adjournment.
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