Peter Obi, LP to challenge election results in only 18 states

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says he and the party will challenge the results of the February 25 election in only 18 states.

Emeka Okpoko, counsel to Obi and LP, spoke while tendering documents at the resumed hearing of the joint petition filed by the party before the presidential election petition court on Thursday.

The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the petitioners did not intend to waste efforts in the states where they “decisively and uncontestedly won”.

However, at the end of Thursday’s proceedings, the petitioners tendered certified electoral documents obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in only six states.

The states were Rivers (15 LGAs), Benue (23 LGAs), Cross River (18 LGAs), Niger (21 LGAs), Osun (20 LGAs) and Ekiti (16 LGAs).

The documents mainly Forms EC8A, election results from polling units were admitted as exhibits by the court.

But, INEC represented by Kemi Pinheiro, objected to the admissibility of the documents.

Adebayo Adelodun who represented President Bola Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shetima, also opposed the admissibility of the electoral documents.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) represented by Afolabi Fashanu also raised an objection while all respondents said they would reserve their objections until the final address.

Further hearing in the petition has been adjourned to June 2.