The presidential candidate of Labour party and its party in the February 25, presidential election, Peter Obi, on Thursday, told the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja that they would be challenging the election results in 18 states only.
Obi and his running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed, and the LP National Chairman with the leadership of the party were present at the court today.
However, the petitioners submitted that they would not waste precious time of the court in the states they won convincingly and without any dispute.
At Thursday’s sitting, Obi and Labour Party tendered certified true copies of electoral documents obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission in only six States.
The documents mainly Forms EC8A , election results from polling units were admitted as exhibits to be used to establish alleged riggings and other malpractices during the election.
Breakdown of the tendered and admitted documents showed that Forms EC8A were tendered in 15 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, 23 in Benue, 18 in Cross River, 23 in Niger State, 20 in Osun and 16 in Ekiti Local Government Areas.
Chairman of PEPC, Justice Haruna Tsammani admitted the documents as exhibits after they were tendered by Chief Emeka Okpoko SAN who conducted the proceedings on behalf of Obi and the Labour Party.
But in a twist, the INEC represented by Kemi Pinhero SAN, which issued the documents and certified them as genuine dramatically announced its decision to object to admission of the documents.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shetima who are 2nd and 3rd respondents and represented by Adebayo Adelodun SAN in the petition challenging their declaration as winners of the election also hinted to oppose the admissibility of the electoral documents.
Similarly, the All Progressives Congress APC represented by Chief Afolabi Fashanu SAN argued that it would raise objections against the documents.
Meanwhile, the PEPC has adjourned hearing in the petition to June 2.
