Emmanuel Thomas I Thursday, June 15, 2023
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi today frontloaded 18,088 results blurred by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on the IREV portal at the Presidential Election Petition, PET, sitting at the Court of Appeal, Abuja in PETER OBI & ANOR. V INEC & ORS. with Petition Number CA/PEPC/03/2023.
The 18,088 blurred results were for seven states and were brought to court by trucks and moved in batches into the courtroom, most of the results rendered unreadable by INEC.
Peter Obi and Labour Party are being represented at the PET by Livy Uzoukwu, SAN. Others are Chief Awa Kalu SAN , Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN, P.I.N. Ikwueto, SAN, Chief Ben Anyachebe SAN, S.T. Hon, Arthur Obi Okafor, Ik Ezechukwu, J.S. Okutepa,SAN, Audu Anuga, SAN, Chris Garba Esq. (Mrs) Agbo Madaki Esq. Vincent Otaokpukpu Esq among others.
LP lead counsel for the day was Livy Uzoukwu who later deferred to Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN. Ikpeazu could not hide the shock on his face, while frontloading the blurred IREV documents. But he was full of smile as he led the court through the evidence one by one from one truck to another. It was a sordid and sobre moment for everyone present in court.
One of the videos tendered by the LP team objected to by the APC legal team was also played with the other from African Independent Television, AIT reserved for tomorrow. Among the witness called by LP team on subpoena are Eric Uwadeagwu Ofoedu, a Professor of Mathematics from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Respondents Objected, stating that they were just served the Witness’ Statement this morning in lieu of 48 hours required by law. The court decided that witness would be Examined in Chief but Cross Examined Tomorrow by 9am.
A Second Witness, Lumie Idevbie (2nd Witness for Today & 5th So Far), A Staff of Arise Tv, was called . There was no objections on his Subpoena and the court admitted him in evidence.
His ID card was presented and there was no objecti ons from the Respondents. He was admitted and tagged by Court – A Written Statement on Oath Filed by The Witness to Be Adopted as Evidence Was Objected by Respondents but Admitted by Court.
FlashDrive brought by Witness containing video evidence was objected to by the Respondents but admitted by Court.
The legal team representing the first respondents are AB Mahmoud SAN Ma… SAN Stephen SAN TM. Inuwa SAN Olawale Ibrahim SAN Nasara Auta Esq. Wendy Kuku Esq. Musa Ata Esq.
Legal team for the 2nd and 3rd respondents are Wole Olanipekun SAN Akin Olujimi SAN Yusuf Ali SAN Ukala SAN Taiwo SAN Abiodun SAN Olatunji Busari SAN A. Mustapha SAN Babatunde SAN S. Adebayo SAN A. Marvel Esq. Ibrahim Audu Esq. Akintola Makinde Esq.
While the legal team for the 4th respondents are Lateef Fagbemi SAN Abiodun Owonikoko SAN Kunle Adegoke SAN YAH Mba SAN Mumini Hanafi SAN Tajudeen Oladoja SAN Saed Sanusi SAN Japhet Obawale Esq. Omosanya Popoola Esq. Olarenwaju Akinsola Esq.
The video played was the recording of INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu at the Chatham House in London, wherein he promised the international community a free and fair election.
In the video Professor Yakubu Mahmood assured the international community that the ‘election result will be made available for public viewing on the IREV as demand by the public.
He said in the video that everything needed for the uploading of polling unit results have been deployed and that presiding officers have been asked to compare results to be announced with what is been uploaded online in previous election and he confirms 99.9% accuracy.
After playing the video, the presiding judge, Justice Stephen Adah thanked everyone for the sustained cooperation of the morning session. He also thanks the staff of the court and wished those leaving journey mercies. I thank you all too and God bless you. See you tomorrow.
Ikwueto SAN notified the court that there are two recordings and only one has been played. The other will be played tomorrow from another Television House.
The PET Judges are led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Justice Moses Ugo and justice Abba Mohammed.
