The Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have told the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that they will call no fewer than 50 witnesses to testify in their petition.
Counsel to the petitioners, Awa Kalu (SAN), said their clients would require seven weeks within which to present their petition in court. The senior lawyer suggested that 30 minutes be allotted to the witnesses classified as “star witnesses” to demonstrate any electronic evidence.
Counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, said his client who conducted the disputed election planned to call five witnesses to defend the election of Mr Tinubu. He said the commission was proposing 30 minutes for its star witness to give the evidence-in-chief, 15 minutes for cross-examination and five minutes for re-examination.
He opposed the suggestion by the petitioners that a separate time be given to their expert witnesses for demonstration. Roland Otaru, SAN, argued for Messrs Tinubu and Shettima and requested that all expert reports be front-loaded to the respondents within 48 hours.
He suggested that 20 minutes be allotted to expert witnesses for their evidence-in-chief, 30 minutes for cross-examination and five minutes for re-examination. Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), said his client needed only nine days to call its seven witnesses, excluding subpoenaed witnesses.
The court’s chairman, Justice Haruna Tsammani, urged counsels to meet and reach an agreement on the issue of consolidating the petition.
He adjourned the matter until May 22 for the continuation of pre-hearing. The counsel to INEC had moved an application for the court to strike out ground two of the petition.