The spokesperson for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, has provided clarification regarding the limited number of witnesses presented by the party at the ongoing presidential election petition tribunal. Dr. Yunusa explained that the court had granted them a restricted timeframe, resulting in the party featuring approximately 10 witnesses.
Initially, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, had announced his intention to present 50 witnesses to testify and provide evidence supporting their claims of election rigging against President Tinubu’s victory. However, Obi concluded his case last Friday with only 10 witnesses, which drew criticism from certain segments of the public, particularly members of the ruling All Progressive Congress. They questioned the dedication of Obi and his legal team, accusing them of lacking seriousness in their challenge.
In response to these criticisms, Dr. Tanko clarified that all parties had agreed to limit the number of witnesses to at least 10 in order to save time. He further confirmed that despite this agreement, some of their witnesses were unable to testify due to time constraints and unforeseen circumstances.
The agreed process involved allocating specific time for the defense, questioning, and cross-examination of witnesses. Each party was allotted a certain amount of time to present their witnesses, and it was agreed that a minimum of 10 witnesses should be presented to manage time effectively. Dr. Tanko mentioned that even the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have only two witnesses and might not present them.
Although he expressed hope for a favorable outcome, Dr. Tanko emphasized that he couldn’t confidently predict the result due to uncertainties in the judicial system based on past experiences. However, he remained hopeful that the outcome would be in favor of the Nigerian people.
Edited by Damilola Adeleke
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