Tinubu, APC close defence in Obi’s petition, tenders LP membership register

President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shittema, and the All Peoples Congress (APC) have closed their defence in the petition filed by the Labour Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Counsel for Tinubu and Shettima, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, informed the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that they are closing their case after the testimony of their sole witness.

The counsel for APC, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, also informed the court that they have no witness and relied on the witnesses called by other respondents.

Following the closure of their defence the five-member panel presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani said date for the final written addresses would be communicated.

Justice Tsammani assigned 10 days each is given to the respondents, seven days to the petitioners and five days for reply.

Earlier, Tinubu through his counsel tendered some documents in support of their defence.

The documents tendered were letter from the Nigeria Police to the United States Embassy, dated February 3, 2003; letter from the United States Embassy to the Nigeria Police, dated February 4, 2003.

Others were US Visas and immigration documents between 2011 and 2021; a copy of Report of the Committee on the Location of the Federal Capital of Nigeria, certified by Archives and History Bureau of the FCT.

Also tendered were copy of Form EC 8D for Kano State in respect of the February 25, 2023, presidential election; copy of Form EC 8D(A); and copy of Form EC8D in respect of the presidential election.

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Also tendered and admitted were a list of register membership of the Labour Party and membership list of LP for Anambra State to claim that Obi is not a member of the labour party.

After the tendering of documents, Olanipekun called their sole witness, Senate Majority Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, to testify.

Being cross-examined by Fagbemi, the witness told the court that the February 25 presidential election results for APC in Kano State were recorded with a shortfall of 10,292 votes against Tinubu.

He added that Obi‘s name was not contained in the membership list of the LP submitted to the INEC.

Being cross-examined by Obi’s counsel, Dr Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, the witness agreed that there a report by the EU election observers in Nigeria and it was tendered through him in evidence.

On whether the letter from the United States Embassy to the Nigeria Police and dated February 4, 2003, addressed issues of criminal allegation against Tinubu, the witness said the Nigeria police letter to the US requested for search for general Criminal records against Tinubu.

He added that therefore the US letter which cleared Tinubu of criminal conviction was an appropriate response.

The counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, told the court that they have no cross-examination.

Obi and Labour Party are petitioners in the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023 challenging the election which brought President Tinubu into power

Respondents are INEC, Tinubu, Shettima, and APC.

The Star