Di Election Petition Court wey dey sit for inside Appeal Court, Abuja don adjourn to Friday 19 May, 2023 for continuation of di pre-hearing.
Di pre-hearing na between Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi wey be di petitioner and President-Elect, Bola Tinubu, di All Progressives Congress plus di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.
Justice Haruna Tsamani wey be di chairman of di Presidential Petition Court adjourn di pre-hearing to Friday sake of say Labour Party complain say INEC neva give dem about 70 percent of di documents wey dem need for di hearing.
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For di resumed hearing, counsel for Labour Party, Livy Uzoukwu tell di court say di meeting wey dem schedule to agree on documents dem go bring come di hearing, no yield much result.
Oga Mzouksu say di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bin make available only 30% from di documents dem need.
E say dis go against di commitment of di kontri electoral body chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, wey don give assurance say dem go make available all di documents dem need.
“Up till now, we neva receive about 70 percent of di documents wey we need, we don also meet wit our colleagues not less dan six times, dem give us some documents wey no pass 30 percent.
Di Labour party counsel also tell di court say Rivers and Sokoto States no gree give am di needed documents.
E say di Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner say dem no get available Form EC8A, “we tell am to put am in writing”
Counsel to INEC, Abubakar Moumoud tell court say dem dey ready to cooperate wit all di counsels na why im call for meeting wit all di counsels for all parties but Labour Party say dem no dey aware, dem reschedule di meeting two times before Labour Party show face with dia team but dem later vex waka comot from di meeting.
“On May 15, I receive letter wia Labour Party counsel dey complain about lack of access to some documents, particularly for Sokoto and Rivers States.
Oga Abubakar say dem provide di documents for Sokoto state and dem ask di Labour party to pay 1.5 million (naira), Rivers State say dem no give dem documents.
I contact di commission sharp sharp to seek clarification, I reply Dr. Livy wit all di clarification dem give me as I promise to assist.
On 16 May, wen we resume, dem tell me say Labour Party vex waka comot.
Dem inform me say di documents dey ready but counsel to Labour Party wan pay for di Certified True Copy (CTC).
Wole Olanipekun wey be counsel to Tinubu and Shettima and Lateef Fagbemi wey dey represent APC confam and agree to wetin INEC tok.
But Labour Party counsel Dr. Livy Uzoukwu tell court say dem dey ready to pay any amount of money for di document if di money dey ‘official’ and im beg court to go into details of di 1.5 million naira wey Sokota dey request but Justice Haruna beg am say make im no tok.
” We dey ready to pay any amount but dem refuse to provide di document.
Payment no be di problem but in respect to Sokoto no mata di temptation I no go fall”
Dr Livy also beg court to give am time to reply all di processes wey dem serve am by Friday 19 May, 2023.
Justice Haruna say wen dem come on Friday, Labour Party go update dem on di documents afterwards dem go hear di applications.
Im hope say di pre- hearing go end on Friday.
Meanwhile drama bin happun inside court as di two factions of Labour Party show face for court.
National Women Leader Dudu Manuga first announce herself as representative of di Party wen di judges dey register attendance, but factional chairman Lamidi Apapa dressed in Agbada stand up begin shout ” Objection my Lord, Objection my Lord mu name is Lamidi Apapa National Chairman of Labour Party.
Justice Haruna say ” Labour Party get international issues so for fairness I no go register anybody, so nobody representative Labour Party today.”
Afta court proceedings some Labour Party supports begin drag and boo Lamidi Apapa as dem no allow am grant interview to tori pipo.
E cause very rowdy session until police carry to safety.
