Presidential Election Petition Court: How Many Witnesses Atiku, Peter Obi, Tinubu, and INEC Want to Call?
- All parties involved in the petitions at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja have disclosed the number of witnesses they plan to call
- Peter Obi of the Labour Party intends to call 50 witnesses and requested seven weeks to present his case
- Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aims to call 100 witnesses for his petition
- President-elect Bola Tinubu, his party, APC, and INEC have also disclosed the number of witnesses they plan to present
FCT, Abuja - All the parties involved in the petitions filed at the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja have revealed the number of witnesses they want to call.
They disclosed this at the resumed hearing on Saturday, May 20, Arise News reported.
Source: Original
Peter Obi wants to call 50 witnesses
Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) said he has 50 witnesses who will testify and give evidence to establish that the 2023 presidential election was rigged against him.
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Speaking through his lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN), Obi told the court he will need seven weeks to present his case.
He added that he would need the seven weeks because of some challenges he had in carrying out the forensic examinations of BVAS.
The LP presidential candidate said all the parties involved have agreed that star witnesses will get 30 minutes to present their evidence. He added there would be a possible demonstration of any electronic evidence.
“We have 50 witnesses. We have also agreed that our star witnesses will need 30 minutes to testify excluding demonstration of any electronic evidence,” Kalu said.
Tinubu to present 21 witnesses against Obi's petition
Meanwhile, to challenge Obi's petition, the counsel to President-elect Bola Tinubu, Rowland Otaru (SAN), said he would need nine days to present 21 witnesses.
Among the 21 are expert witnesses who will defend Tinubu's victory in the 2023 presidential election, Otaru said.
APC to present seven witnesses against Obi's petition
APC's lawyer, Niyi Akintola, said the ruling party will present seven witnesses within nine days to defend Tinubu's victory.
However, the witnesses that will be subpoenaed to testify are not among the seven.
Legit.ng gathers that all the respondents agreed that they must be given 48 hours' notice before bringing any expert witness to testify.
INEC to call two witnesses against Obi's petition
Also, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), through its lawyer Abubakar Mahmood (SAN), said it will present two witnesses.
The electoral body added that it needs three days to present the two witnesses, BBC also reported.
Atiku to call 100 witnesses for his petition against Tinubu's victory
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, said he will call 100 witnesses for his petition.
Lead counsel to Atiku, Chris Uche (SAN), said although the law permits seven weeks to present their witnesses, they would need only about three weeks to do so.
Tinubu to call 39 witnesses against Atiku's petition
To challenge Atiku's petition, President-elect Tinubu will call 39 witnesses.
Tinubu’s legal team led by Wole Olanipekun said it would need “nine days” to prove its case against Atiku's petition.
APC to call 25 witnesses
The APC also said it will assemble 25 witnesses against Atiku's petition. The ruling party was represented by Solomon Umoh, a SAN.
INE also said it would call five witnesses against Atiku's petitions.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Election Petitions Court has adjourned till Monday, May 22, for report on the consolidation of modalities for the hearing of the petitions of the three remaining political parties.
2023 elections: Governor Wike says INEC deserves accolades
In another report, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state said Nigerians have accepted the outcome of the 2023 general polls and INEC deserves some accolades.
He stated this on Sunday, May 7, at the inauguration of the chairmen and members of Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board and Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The Rivers state governor said that previous elections have recorded violence and death but hailed the current crop of INEC leadership for conducting a fair election across the country.
Source: Legit.ng
