EXTRA: Since tribunal started, only two of your ‘50 witnesses’ have testified, INEC counsel jabs LP

Kemi Pinero, counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the Labour Party (LP) is unnecessarily stalling the presidential election petition tribunal.

INEC announced Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the presidential election on March 1.

Dissatisfied with the results, Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the LP, headed to court to challenge the outcome.

Speaking during proceedings on Wednesday, Livy Uzoukwu, lead counsel for the LP, said the office of the INEC chairman has refused to supply the party with documents requested for evidence.

Uzoukwu said the INEC chairman consistently avoided being served a subpoena for the provision of documents that would be reviewed as likely evidence.

He added that he did not have a copy of the subpoena at the time but would provide a copy to the INEC lead counsel in confidence that it would get to the chairman of the commission.

He noted that he had met with the INEC lead counsel but did not have a copy of the subpoena to hand over at the time.

“I intend to send it to him once I’m done with this proceeding. I’m confident that he will do the needful for us to continue tomorrow,” Uzoukwu added.

However, Pinero dismissed Uzoukwu’s comments, saying it was a tactic to adjourn the proceedings.

Pinero said there was no subpoena issued, adding that INEC had adequately responded to subpoenas issues by other parties and had no reason to neglect the LP.

“A subpoena was not refused. PDP served subpoenas and we have responded to that.  It is clear that this is becoming a habit that they (LP) like to whip, it’s a pattern,” Pinero said.

“Don’t use INEC as a whipping board, if they (LP) have nothing else to do they should just say it. We are not going to oppose your adjournment.

“This habit is showing that you’re only stalling the case. You’ve only called two witnesses out of the 50 witnesses you said you would call and it has been two weeks since tribunal started.

“I just want to make it clear that it is not correct that the INEC chairman refused to respond to the subpoena. The chairman of INEC has no interest whatsoever. So it’s very unfair and uncharitable.”