Sunday, 21 May 2023 03:40

Atiku to call 100 witnesses, Obi 50: This is how evidence against Tinubu in PEPC will go

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will call 100 witnesses to testify at the presidential election petition court.

Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the PDP, had filed a suit challenging the election through which Bola Tinubu emerged as the president-elect.

Addressing the court on Saturday, Chris Uche, counsel for Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, said all the parties met and agreed on the number of witnesses that would be presented and the duration.

He said the PDP intends to call no more than 100 witnesses, adding that while seven weeks were given to call these witnesses, only three weeks will be needed since the issues are getting narrower.

Meanwhile, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has two witnesses that will testify while the counsel to the president-elect said it has 39 witnesses ready.

All the parties agreed to streamline the number of witnesses as well as the duration needed for each party to call their witnesses.

For the evidence in chief, they categorised them into 30 minutes for the lead witness because they will tender and identify documents.

Fifteen minutes was proposed for each respondent for cross-examination and five minutes for re-examination.

However, 10 minutes was proposed for other witnesses of the petitioner and 10 minutes for cross-examination of these witnesses by the respondents.

It was also proposed that 30 minutes be given for the star witnesses of INEC, Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

On its part, Labour Party (LP) says it will call 50 witnesses to testify at the presidential election petition tribunal.

Peter Obi, candidate of the LP, had filed a suit challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu at the presidential election.

Addressing the tribunal on Saturday, Awa Kalu, counsel for Peter Obi and the LP, said they will require a period of seven weeks to get it done due to the fact that they haven’t done a forensic investigation of the BVAS as directed by the court.

Kalu added that they are waiting for some documents requested for.

They have also agreed that the star witnesses will need 30 minutes to demonstrate any electronic evidence.

That class of witnesses will be cross examined for 20 minutes and 5 Minutes for re-examination, while 10 Minutes was allotted for other witnesses.

For the respondents, 20 minutes was allotted for the star witnesses and 30 minutes for cross examination.

INEC said it has five witnesses set to testify in the LP’s petition and proposed seven days to get it done.

However, Abubakar Mahmoud, the lead counsel, disagreed that there should be a separate time for demonstration of electronic evidence.

Roland Otaru, counsel to the president-elect and his vice, proposed nine days to call their witnesses excluding expert witnesses.

The APC aligned with the submission of the counsel to Tinubu and Shettima, and said it will be presenting seven witnesses for nine days.

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