Since Tribunal Started, Only Two Of Your ‘50 Witnesses’ Have Testified, INEC Counsel Jabs LP

The Labour Party (LP), according to Kemi Pinero, counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is unduly prolonged the presidential election petition tribunal.

On March 1, INEC declared Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the victor of the presidential election.

Dissatisfied with the results, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, and Peter Obi, the LP presidential candidate, went to court to contest the verdict.

Livy Uzoukwu, lead counsel for the LP, stated during proceedings on Wednesday that the INEC chairman’s office has failed to provide the party with the papers requested for evidence.

“The office of the INEC chairman has consistently refused to comply with providing documents even with the subpoena issued, in spite of the efforts of the bailiff,” Uzoukwu said.

He stated that he met with the INEC lead counsel but did not have a copy of the subpoena with him at the time.

“I intend to send it to him once I’m done with this proceeding. I’m confident that he will do the needful for us to continue tomorrow,” Uzoukwu added.

Pinero, on the other hand, disregarded Uzoukwu’s remarks, claiming they were a ploy to delay the proceedings.

Pinero stated that no subpoena was issued and that INEC had effectively answered subpoenas issued by other parties, thus there was no need to ignore the LP.

“A subpoena was not refused. PDP served subpoenas and we have responded to them.  This is becoming a habit that they (LP) like to whip, it’s a pattern,” Pinero said.

“Don’t use INEC as a whipping board, if they (LP) have nothing else to do they should just say it. We are not going to oppose your adjournment.

“This habit is showing that you’re only stalling the case. You’ve only called two witnesses out of the 50 witnesses you said you would call and it has been two weeks since the tribunal started.

“I just want to make it clear that it is not correct that the INEC chairman refused to respond to the subpoena. The chairman of INEC has no interest whatsoever. So it’s very unfair and uncharitable.”