Atiku vs Tinubu: PDP to call 100 witnesses to testify at tribunal

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

Atiku Abubakar, the 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, the 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).