• Court admits statistical reports in Atiku’s petition
Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has lamented the alleged refusal by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, to accept the summons and produce documents before the court.
Counsel for Obi, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, told the Presidential Election Petition Court, yesterday, that Yakubu has continuously refused to accept subpoenas to produce election documents, despite efforts by the court bailiff to serve him.
But counsel for INEC, Kemi Pinheiro, argued it was untrue that the subpoena could not be served on the INEC boss, adding that it had become a pattern for Obi to look for a scapegoat.
He said a similar subpoena from the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his party was served on INEC without hitches.
He said it was “unfair and uncharitable” for Obi’s counsel to make such a claim, and that if there was any copy of the subpoena, there is a legal department to receive it.
Pinheiro advised that if Obi’s counsel wants to ask for an adjournment, they (respondent) are not opposed to it, but “it would be unfair to use INEC as a whipping boy.”
Counsel for Obi insisted it was very clear that the INEC chairman could not be served with a copy of the subpoena. According to him, the bailiff said service was refused, and that this could be verified from the court.
Uzoukwu, however, said he had contacted INEC’s lead counsel, Abubakar Mahmoud, who graciously requested an extra copy of the subpoena, which he promised to send to the commission’s boss.
He hoped that by the end of proceedings, Mahmoud would have resolved the matter.
Also, earlier, yesterday, Obi tendered additional exhibits against the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the election.
Obi, through Audu Anuga, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, tendered reports from INEC’s election result viewer (I-Rev) from seven states. Also tendered were reports from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System Machine (BIVAS) of 28 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Obi also tendered supplementary I-Rev reports from two local councils in Kaduna State and certificates of compliance for six states.
The court adjourned the hearing to today.
Also, the court admitted in evidence statistical reports of election inspectors, in respect of the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The petitioner’s 21st witness, Samuel Oduntan, is a statistician and a subpoenaed witness.
He adopted his statement on oath, which was objected to by all respondents when led in evidence by Eyitayo Jegede, who represented Atiku and PDP.
The court adjourned to today for cross-examination of the witness and further hearing of the petition.
The Guardian
