- Mr. Peter Obi, a candidate of the Labour Party, closed his case in the Presidential Election Petition Court, alleging that the February 25 presidential election was rigged in favor of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
- Obi presented documentary evidence and called 13 witnesses, including a copy of a judgment from the Federal High Court that refused the party's request to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit election results.
- Obi and his party are challenging the entire election results and seeking the cancellation of the election or a fresh election without Tinubu's participation.
Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, has closed his case before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja. Obi, who came third in the presidential election held on February 25, presented various documentary evidence and called 13 witnesses to support his claim that the election was rigged in favor of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The evidence submitted by Obi included polling unit results from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as documents showing the number of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collected in 32 states prior to the 2023 general elections. Additionally, he presented video exhibits, including a press conference where the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, assured electronic transmission of election results.
The court admitted several electoral documents, including certified true copies of INEC forms and reports from polling units where elections did not take place. The Respondents objected to the admissibility of these documents and stated that they would present their objections in their final written address.
Although the Petitioners initially planned to call 50 witnesses, they closed their case after the testimony of the 13th witness. One of the witnesses, Tanko Yunusa, testified about his role as the Chief Spokesman of the Labour Party Presidential Election Council and the National Director of Media in the party. He also mentioned a previous lawsuit filed by the party against INEC before the general elections.
Yunusa acknowledged that the documents showing the scores of the LP and APC candidates in the election were blurred and badly mutilated. He expressed dissatisfaction with the election outcome and called for the cancellation of the entire result.
After Yunusa's testimony, the Petitioners called their 13th witness, Peter Emmanuel Yari, who served as a Presiding Officer in Kaduna State during the presidential election. Yari highlighted issues with voter accreditation and result uploading using the BVAS machines.
Following the conclusion of Yari's testimony, the Petitioners announced the closure of their case. The court then scheduled July 3 for INEC to present its defense.
The case before the PEPC involves the challenge of President Bola Tinubu's victory by Peter Obi and the Labour Party. The petitioners argue that Tinubu was not the valid winner of the election and question his eligibility to participate in the presidential poll. They allege corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, seeking various reliefs, including the cancellation of the election and the conduct of a fresh one.
