Late Service Of Witnesses’ Statements Stalls Hearing In Atiku/PDP’s Petition

Hearing has again been truncated midway in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar against the outcome of the last presidential election.

Proceedings in the petition resumed smoothly on Wednesday before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), but was however brought to an abrupt end, just over an hour later, owing to the the respondents’ objection to the petitioners’ decision to call witnesses whose statements were served on them late.

Earlier, petitioners’ lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN) tendered bundles of copies of Forms EC8B from 11 Local Government Areas in Kogi States, which were admitted by the court after the respondents registered their objection and promised to provide reasons later.

Lawyers to the respondents –  Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Akin Olujinmi (SAN) for President Bola Tinubu, and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) –   however kicked when Uche moved to call some subpoenaed witnesses.

They complained that the witnesses’ written statements, filed by the petitioners, were served on them few minutes before the commencement of Wednesday’s proceedings.

The respondents’ lawyers sought time to study the statements and seek clarifications from their clients, a position that moved the court to postpone further hearing till the next day.

Similar incident occured on Tuesday when proceedings were equally brought to an abrupt end  owing to some defects identified in the schedule of documents filed by the petitioners.