Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Update.
Pre-hearing concluded for Peter Obi vs Tinubu.
(Agreed duration and number of witnesses to present)
Peter Obi: 7 weeks for 50 witnesses*
*Tinubu: 9days for 21 witnesses*
*APC: 9days for witnesses*
*INEC: 2days for 3 witnesses.*
READ TINUBU’S COUNTER PETITION/ DEFENCE:
APC asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that Mr Obi, the 1st petitioner, lacked requisite “locus standi” to institute the petition because he was not a member of LP at least 30 days to the party’s presidential primary to be validly sponsored by the party.
APC said: “The 1st petitioner (Obi) was a member of PDP until May 24, 2022.
“1st petitioner (obi) was screened as a presidential aspirant of the PDP in Apni 2022.
“1st petitioner (obi) participated and was cleared to contest the presidential election while being a member of the PDP.
“1st petitioner (obi) purportedly resigned his membership of PDP on May 24, 2022 to purportedly join the 2nd petitioner (Labour Party) on May 27, 2022.
“2nd petitioner (LP)conducted its presidential primary on May 30, 2022 which purportedly produced 1st petitioner (Obi) as its candidate, which time contravened Section 77(3) of the Electoral Act for him to contest the primary election as a member of the 2nd petitioner. (LP)”
“APC argued that Obi was not a member of LP at the time of his alleged sponsorship.
“The APC argued that “by the mandatory provisions of Section 77 (1) (2) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2022, a political party shall maintain a register and shall make such register available to INEC not later than 30 days before the date fixed for the party primaries, congresses and convention.”
“APC stated further that all the PDP’s presidential candidates were screened on 29 April 29, an exercise Mr Obi participated in and cleared to contest while being a member of the party.
“APC argued that the petition was incompetent since Mr Obi’s name could not have been in LP’s register made available to INEC at the time he joined the party.
@ORACLE.
