The division in the Labour Party (LP) played out at the
presidential election petition tribunal on Friday as two lawyers appeared to
represent the party.
LP and Peter Obi, the presidential candidate, filed a
petition challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC).
In the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023, they alleged that
Tinubu “was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the
time of the election”.
When the case was called on Friday, Awa Kalu announced
appearance for the petitioners.
However, Oba Maduabuchi, another lawyer, also announced his
appearance for the Labour Party.
“I was instructed by the LP to appear on its behalf and
represent it in this petition. I was given a brief to appear,” he said.
Maduabuchi’s announcement elicited murmurs from other
lawyers and litigants.
Responding, Haruna Tsammani, chairman of the five-member
panel of justices, said two lawyers cannot announce appearance for the same
party.
“Let the person that filed the petition make an appearance,”
he said.
Abba Mohammed, another justice, said: “As a learned silk,
you should know better and should have advised whoever it is that briefed you
that there cannot be two counsels for the petitioner.”
Subsequently, Kalu moved the petitioners’ motion seeking to
have the proceedings televised.
The counsel to the respondents, however, opposed the
application and prayed the court to dismiss it.
The court reserved ruling to Monday.
For the past few months, the LP has been embroiled in a
leadership tussle that has resulted in two factions.
One faction recognises Julius Abure as the national chairman
of the party and another recognises Lamidi Apapa as the leader.
Abure was recently suspended by a high court in the federal
capital territory (FCT) over allegations of forgery.
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