Hearing in the petition by former Vice President, Atiku
Abubakar against the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was abruptly
adjourned on Tuesday by the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja due
to alleged refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to
make some critical electoral materials available to him.
The Court shifted further hearing in the petition till June
7 pending the time the electoral body is expected to have.responded to the
request of Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the supply of some
documents.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Eyitayo Jegede, a Senior Advocate
of Nigeria, SAN, who conducted proceedings for Atiku had sought to tender forms
EC8A from 10 out of 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State to establish the
petition against Tinubu.
The exhibits, mainly documents used for the February 25
Presidential Election, are those from Ankpa, Dekina, Idah, Ofu, Olamaboro,
Yagba East, Yagba West, Kabba-Bunu and Igalamela Odolu.
Although the schedule of documents to the effect was filed
along with the exhibits, the Court however noted that tendering such sensitive
exhibits at piece meals would not be of any help, especially in the areas of
marking and numbering them.
Jegede who rose to the questions put to him by the Court
stood his ground and blamed the INEC for deliberate refusal to supply his
client with the vital documents.
The Senior lawyer, who hinted the Court that Atiku had paid
as much as N6 million for the supply of certified true copy of the exhibits,
lamented that the electoral body had not been forthcoming and cooperating as
required.
Jegede explained that to save the situation, the legal team
of the former Vice President had to subpoena top officials of INEC to compel
them to bring the required documents before the Court on their own.
However, in the end, the senior lawyer sought for a 24-hour
adjournment to enable him to approach the electoral body to do the needful.
Following no objections from counsel to the respondents,
INEC, represented by Abubakar Mahmud, SAN, Tinubu represented by Chief Wole
Olanipekun, SAN, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, having Lateef Fagbemi,
SAN, as lead counsel, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani adjourned the matter till
June 7.
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