The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not present its defence on Monday in the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) regarding the petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Peter Obi.
Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), the lead counsel for INEC, explained that the absence of their first witness caused the delay. He informed the court that although his client plans to call three witnesses over three days, the witness scheduled for that day couldn’t attend due to family matters.
Consequently, the Commission requested an adjournment until Tuesday to allow the witness to appear in court.
The counsels representing the other parties involved in the case, namely Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, for Obi/LP, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettma, and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not object to Mahmoud’s request.
The Presiding Justice, Justice Haruna Tsammani, gave a brief ruling and adjourned the hearing until Tuesday at 9 am.
In the meantime, the court adjourned and will reconvene at 2 pm to address the petition filed by Atiku Abubakar and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
