The defence strategy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hit a stumbling block on Monday as its first witness failed to appear, casting doubt on the commission’s preparedness.
INEC, the respondent in the petition filed by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was slated to present its defence today.
The petitioners are contesting the victory of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 election.
During the court session, INEC’s counsel, Abubakar Mahmoud, informed the court that he had planned to call three witnesses over three days but the witness scheduled for the day was unable to attend due to personal reasons.
Consequently, he requested an adjournment until Tuesday to allow the witness to be present in court.
The counsel representing the other parties did not object to INEC’s request.
Subsequently, the panel’s chairman, Justice Haruna Tsammani, adjourned the hearing until 9 am on Tuesday.
Additionally, INEC is expected to present its defense at 2 pm in the petition brought forth by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The duration of the election petition tribunal has been protracted, with continuous adjournments, causing a waning interest among Nigerians regarding the entire process.
The pre-hearing of the petitions contesting the declaration of Bola Tinubu as the President-elect, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), began on May 8. The purpose of the hearing was to address any pending applications before the main hearing.
Furthermore, on April 23, the court stopped accepting replies from the petitioners. The Presidential Election Petition Court consolidated all the petitions filed by the three petitioners—the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM)—and their respective presidential candidates.
The tribunal, located at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, granted the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, a three-week period to substantiate their claims.
To expedite the hearing of the Labour Party’s petition, specific regulations were established, including the elimination of oral examination for witnesses and the requirement of witness statements instead.
For prominent or expert witnesses, 30 minutes were allocated for presenting evidence, with an additional 20 minutes for cross-examination and 5 minutes for re-examination.
Peter Obi’s hearing was scheduled to commence on May 30 and conclude on June 23. However, it has been over three weeks and the process remains ongoing, characterized by repeated adjournments. As a result, Nigerians are losing interest in the proceedings, given the multitude of other pressing issues such as rising fuel prices, soaring food costs, and reports of increased tuition fees in federal tertiary institutions. Nigerians are burdened with numerous concerns, and the protracted legal process raises doubts about the transparency of the court’s handling of the case.
As a Nigerian, one may question the level of trust in the Election Petition Tribunal Process. Do you have faith in the Process?
