Court Adjourns hearing on Atiku’s petition over poor schedule of documents

Chigozie Ikpo, Abuja

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) sitting in Abuja has adjourned hearing on the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the victory of the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led panel adjourned proceedings to enable the PDP to properly prepare their schedule of documents.

In Tuesdays proceedings, Counsel for PDP, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) filed a Notice of Discountenance in respect to Suit SC/CV/354/2023 between Attorney-General of Adamawa state and 6 ors against the Attorney-General of the Federation.

He told the court that some of the issues raised in the suit is similar to the ones in their petition and hereby applied to discountenance the suit.

Counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), A. B. Mahmoud (SAN), Dele Adesina (SAN) representing Tinubu and Shettima and counsel for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Mrs. Olabisi Senikan (SAN) did not oppose to the tendering of documents.

Mr. Eyitayo then told the court that they will be tendering Form EC8B being INEC Certified true Copies (CTC) of election result sheets from wards in 10 Local Governments of Kogi State.

The schedule of documents produced by the PDP lawyer was seemingly complicated to understand and the court could not admit the EC8B documents as evidence.

Justice Tsammani told him of the difficulties the panel is having in numbering the documents and opted to give him a break to arrange his schedule.

However, Mr. Eyitayo apologized for the arrangement of the schedule and informed the court that they have missed a Sopena to INEC to produce part of the documents.

He then opted for an adjournment to enable him to have a more comprehensive schedule and add the documents from INEC.

The Respondents in the suit did not oppose the motion for adjournment but noted that the adjournment still counts for their time in court.

Justice Tsammani therefore adjourned proceedings till Wednesday, June 7 for continuation of hearing.