Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, Wednesday, admitted in evidence, additional 319 exhibits tendered before it by Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
The exhibits tendered by Professor Paul Ananaba, SAN, on behalf of Obi comprised certified true copies of Form EC8C collated electoral results from 13 states.
The affected states included Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Ekiti and Delta.
The results from Bayelsa were from eight LGAs; Benue from 23 LGAs; Cross River from 18 LGAs; Ebonyi from 10 LGAs; Edo from 18 LGAs, Lagos from 20 LGAs; Niger from 25 LGAs; while Ondo state was from 18 LGAs.
Others include 33 LGAs of Oyo State; 23 LGAs from Rivers; 23 LGAs from Sokoto; 16 LGAs from Ekiti and 25 LGAs from Delta State.
Tendered in evidence also by Obi’s lawyers were results of the presidential election for the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, contained in INEC’s Form EC8D, which were admitted and marked as Exhibits PBE-1 to PBE 37.
Meanwhile, despite objections by Tinubu and other respondents, the tribunal admitted the evidence.
The matter was adjourned for further hearing on Thursday, June 8.
Obi had also in his petition, argued that President Tinubu was not qualified to participate in the presidential poll.
According to Obi, as at the time Tinubu’s running mate, Shettima, became the Vice Presidential candidate, he was still the nominated candidate of the APC for the Borno Central Senatorial election.
He further challenged Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the presidential election, alleging that he was previously indicted and fined the sum of $460,000.00 by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in Case No: 93C 4483, for an offence involving dishonesty and drug trafficking.
On the ground that the election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the provision of Electoral Act, 2022, the petitioners
Obi further argued that INEC acted in breach of its own Regulations and Guidelines, claiming that the election was invalid following flagrant manipulations.
He equally argued that Tinubu did not meet the, the 25% win for Abuja.
