The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to open its defence of the conduct of the February 25 2023 presidential election on Monday because of the absence of the witness it scheduled to call for the day.
The appeal filed by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) against INEC’s announcement of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the victor of the February 25 presidential election names INEC as the first respondent.
Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), the attorney for INEC, informed the five-member panel of the Presidential Election Petition Court on Monday morning that the witness it had planned to summon for the opening was unable to appear due to family obligations.
Tinubu was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election, and INEC had previously stated that it would call three witnesses to support its handling of the poll.
He then requested an adjournment until Tuesday so that the witness could appear in court.
Other parties’ attorneys, including Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettma, and Livy Uzoukwu (SAN) for Obi/LP, did not oppose to Mahmoud’s plea.
Justice Tsammani postponed the hearing to Tuesday at 9am based on the request.
To hear the case filed by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the court will reconvene in the afternoon.
Goldenguy (
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