Peter Obi presents first witness against Tinubu

Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, made significant progress in his legal challenge against President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25th election, as he presented his first witness in court. The development occurred during the resumed hearing of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday.

Kenneth Okonkwo, a member of Obi’s legal team and a prominent figure in the Labour Party, took to Twitter to share the positive outcome of the day’s proceedings. He stated, “It was a good day for the Petitioners. @peterobigregory and Datti were in court. Obi and Labour Party commenced their trial today by presenting their first witness.”

The core issue at hand was the alleged non-qualification of Tinubu due to the double nomination of his Vice Presidential candidate, Shettima, as well as a drug trafficking conviction. Obi’s legal team sought to demonstrate that Tinubu’s candidacy was invalid based on these grounds.

During the court session, the Certificate of True Copy (CTC) of a United States court judgment relating to drug trafficking, as well as INEC documents highlighting the double nomination of Shettima, were admitted as evidence. These documents are expected to play a crucial role in supporting Obi’s case against Tinubu’s qualification to hold the presidency.

With the successful admission of these pieces of evidence, the hearing was adjourned to May 31, 2023, allowing both parties to further prepare their arguments and evidence for the upcoming sessions.

Peter Obi and the Labour Party have taken their legal challenge seriously, aiming to present a strong case against President Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 elections. The proceedings at the PEPT have provided an opportunity for the opposition party to scrutinize the eligibility and qualifications of the sitting president, with the hope of overturning the election results.

As the trial continues, the public and political observers will be closely monitoring the developments, as the outcome of the case could potentially impact the future political landscape of Nigeria. The next hearing on May 31st will shed further light on the arguments and evidence presented by both parties, providing insight into the direction the case may take.