Confusion in court as two SANs claim to represent LP

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.