PEPT Rejects 10 Witnesses Presented by Peter Obi, LP

In a recent development at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, the testimony of 10 out of 13 witnesses presented by Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has been rejected.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Haruna Tsammani, who presided over the proceedings.

Peter Obi had called upon 13 witnesses to testify on his behalf during the hearings. These witnesses were identified as PW1 to PW13, with the crucial distinction that only three of them, whose statements were provided under oath, were included in the original petition. The remaining 10 witnesses had their witness statements on oath submitted after the hearing had commenced.

Justice Tsammani cited specific constitutional and legal provisions to support the tribunal’s decision. He referred to Section 285 of the Nigerian Constitution, Section 137(7) of the Electoral Act 2022, and other relevant provisions.

According to these statutes, every witness statement on oath should be filed simultaneously with the petition.

Moreover, the Justice emphasized that once the 21-day window for filing an election petition has passed, the content of the petition cannot be altered or amended. Any additional statements on oath cannot be submitted after this specified period because it would not allow the respondents the opportunity to respond effectively.

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The ruling highlights the petitioners’ apparent awareness of the legal requirement regarding witness statements on oath. Nevertheless, they proceeded to present 10 witnesses without having filed their witness statements on oath along with the original petition.

This decision by the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal is a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings related to the 2023 presidential election. As the tribunal continues to deliver their judgments, this rejection of witnesses could have far-reaching implications for the overall case presented by Peter Obi and the Labour Party.

The tribunal’s decision underscores the importance of adhering to established legal procedures and timelines in election petition cases. It reinforces the need for thorough preparation and compliance with statutory requirements to ensure that the process is fair and transparent.